【Causes・Disease】

Presbyopia is a condition in which the ability to see far and near or freely change focus declines as we age, making it difficult to focus, especially when looking at nearby objects. It has been commonly called “presbyopia” since ancient times.
The main causes of presbyopia are a decrease in the elasticity of the lens due to aging and a decrease in the function of the ciliary muscles that regulate the lens. When people are young, the lens is flexible and can easily change shape to see nearby objects, but with age, this flexibility is lost, and accommodation is reduced. Therefore, starting in the 40s, people gradually begin to feel discomfort such as eye strain when looking nearby. People with farsightedness, which often focuses on distant objects, often seem to be more aware of presbyopia symptoms earlier. People with myopia tend to focus on nearby areas, so it is difficult to be aware of the symptoms of presbyopia, but when wearing the glasses they usually use to see the far distance, symptoms such as blurring nearby objects appear. Although we often hear that people with myopia don’t get presbyopia, it is not true.

【Symptoms】

Common symptoms of presbyopia include difficulty of seeing objects in near distance or blurred vision. Presbyopia makes it hard to focus, especially in near distance, such as reading books or looking at the phone. Presbyopia can make eyes tired easily which may cause headaches associated with eye fatigue.

【Treatment】

As treatments, glasses and contact lenses are used. There are also reading glasses, which are specialized glasses for seeing near objects. Bifocal glasses can make it easier to see both far and near, with the upper part of the glasses for far and the lower part for near. There are also contact lenses to correct both near and far vision.
In addition, refractive surgery is sometimes performed as a treatment for presbyopia, but indications and effects vary from person to person.

【Summary】

Presbyopia is an age-related symptom that cannot be completely prevented. In addition, with the recent spread of smartphones and tablets, we have more opportunities to continue looking at screens for a long time, and even younger people may experience presbyopia-like symptoms. It is also called “smartphone presbyopia” in modern language. Unlike age-related changes, it is a temporary symptom and can be prevented by taking rest and maintaining an appropriate distance and time when looking at things.
Presbyopia is partly unavoidable, but people can maintain their life quality by taking appropriate measures.
If you notice any abnormalities in your vision, it is important to see an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.