Presbyopia Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Presbyopia, or often called old eyes, is a condition of reduced vision, especially at close range, experienced by older people. Presbyopia is actually not a disease, but a normal aging process.
Generally, presbyopia begins to occur when a person turns 40 years old. This condition is classified as difficult to prevent because it is an aging process that will definitely be experienced by anyone.
Symptom
The main symptom of presbyopia is a sharp decrease in vision, especially when looking up close. Usually, sufferers will complain of difficulty in reading. The thing to remember is that presbyopia is only experienced by people aged 40 years and over. If similar complaints are experienced by people who are younger, then other eye disorders should be considered as the cause.
Other symptoms that can also accompany the main symptoms are:
- Eyestrain accompanied by headaches, especially after reading or doing activities that require a person to see close objects
- Has difficulty reading small print
- Often squints when looking at close objects
Reason
Presbyopia occurs due to the aging process. This condition is related to the gradual thickening and loss of flexibility of the natural lens in the sufferer’s eye.
The lens is the part of the eye that functions to focus light so that it can be received properly by the retina. At a young age, the lens of the eye is still flexible and flexible. The lens can easily adjust its shape in order to focus the light properly.
As we age, the lens becomes stiffer and can no longer adjust its shape easily. This condition causes presbyopia. In addition, with age there will also be changes in the muscle fibers that surround the lens so that its elasticity decreases. As a result, the eye takes longer to focus on near objects.
Several conditions make a person more at risk for early presbyopia, such as:
- People who have anemia
- Diabetics
- People with cardiovascular disease
- Patients with autoimmune multiple sclerosis
- Experiencing trauma to the eye or suffering from an eye disease
- Vascular insufficiency (blood flow builds up)
Diagnosis
To confirm the presence of presbyopia, the doctor simply conducts an interview and eye examination. This eye examination aims to rule out other eye disorders which can also cause a decrease in visual acuity.
Treatment
There is nothing that can be done to stop the aging process that causes presbyopia. However, this eye disorder can be overcome with the following alternatives:
-
Reading glasses
Reading glasses can be used to treat decreased vision due to presbyopia. These glasses can be purchased freely, without having to use prescription glasses. Treatment with reading glasses is suitable for people who only experience presbyopia without any other eye disorders.
-
Bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses
These three types of lenses are more recommended if before experiencing presbyopia, the patient has experienced other eye disorders that are corrected with glasses.
Bifocal lenses contain lenses for correcting impaired near and distance vision. Trifocal lenses consist of lenses for correcting impaired vision at near, intermediate, and long distances. While progressive lenses are actually similar to trifocal lenses, the boundaries between the three lenses are not visible from the outside.
-
Contact lens
Contact lenses can be used as an alternative to glasses. Its function is the same as glasses, except that contact lenses are placed directly in front of the cornea of the eye.
-
Operation
If you do not want to use glasses, surgery to modify the cornea of the eye can be done. One of them is LASIK ( Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomileusis ). But even if you have done LASIK, visual disturbances can occur again as you get older.
Prevention
Until now there is no effective action that can be taken to prevent presbyopia. This is because presbyopia is a condition associated with the aging process, which of course cannot be prevented.