WHAT IS PRESBYOPIA?

If you're over 40, you probably need glasses for reading. If not, chances are you will before long. The culprit is Presbyopia, a gradual, natural condition within the eye that reduces its ability to focus on near objects. Presbyopia is a very common eye condition — the World Health Organization estimates that more than one billion people in the world had presbyopia as of 2005₁.

CAUSES

Virtually everyone of middle age has Presbyopia or will get it soon. When you are young, the lens of your eye is flexible, allowing for you to easily focus between objects near and far. However, as your eyes mature, the lens in your eye stiffens, which makes it harder to focus objects up-close₂.

TREATMENT

There are various eyewear options correcting prebyopia. The older standard options are bifocals, trifocals and readers — each has advantages but many disadvantages. The newer, preferred eyeware to correct presbyopia is Progressive Lenses.

Bifocals are two-part lenses, with distance vision in the top and close-up vision in the bottom of the lens. The problem is that there is a visible line and "image jump," which can be distracting and unattractive. Addtionally, Bifocal lenses don't provide a mid-range viewing area.

Trifocals are lenses divided into three segments: distance, intermediate and near viewing. These lenses have even more distracting lines that get in the way of good vision and good looks.

Readers are only used for up-close vision. For distance viewing, you need to remove them, peek over the top of the glasses or need another pair.

The newest, most popular solution is No-Line Progressive Lenses, which correct for distance, intermediate and near vision for more natural viewing without distracting, unattractive lines. Progressive Lenses have rapidly become the most popular choice for people who need reading correction but don't want the drawbacks of the other, older eyewear options. Progressive lenses are designed for the way your eyes naturally view the world around you. The lower portion of the lens is for up-close, the middle is for intermediate vision and the upper portion gives you distance vision.