What you need to know about presbyopia

We can’t stop getting older, and that means our eyes age too. Presbyopia is age-related long sightedness – and it usually becomes obvious when you begin holding the paper or the phone further away to see clearer.

It’s usually something people notice at around age 40 and gets worse until around 65.

What symptoms will I have?

  • Difficulty seeing objects up-close
  • Blurred vision at normal reading distance
  • Eye strain or fatigue when reading
  • Headaches

What actually causes it?

When we’re younger the lens of the eye is soft and flexible, which means it can easily change shape and focus on objects up-close and far away. But as we get older the lens loses elasticity and becomes harder and less flexible. It makes it harder for the eyes to focus on things close to us.

It happens to all of us with age, but medical conditions like diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or heart disease, may increase your chances of presbyopia at an earlier age (before 40).

What does vision with presbyopia look like?

Click and drag the image below to see how presbyopia can affect your vision.

Healthy vision

Can it be treated?

Treatment for glaucoma includes eye drops, medication, laser surgery and other procedures to lower the pressure inside the eye. It’s really important to get in as early as you can to prevent further loss of vision.

Presbyopia can’t be reversed or cured, but there are plenty of options to help correct your vision. Your optometrist can talk you through these after a routine eye test.

If you don’t have any other vision problems, reading glasses might be all you need. However, if you have myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia (long-sightedness) or astigmatism you might benefit from wearing bifocals, trifocals or progressive lenses.

For those who prefer contact lenses there are two main types used to correct presbyopia:

Monovision contacts: which correct one eye for distance vision and the other for up-close.

Multifocal contacts: with variations in power enabling you to see distance and close-up at the same time. Your brain discerns which image to focus on and which to ignore.

There are also various surgical options available including refractive surgery and corneal inlays. 

We're here to help

Ask your optometrist if you have any questions about presbyopia or book an appointment today.

Book an eye test Find a store

You might also like to read...

View all
  • Understanding astigmatism

    Understanding astigmatism

    There’s a good chance you’ve heard of astigmatism before. It’s a common eye condition that causes blurred vision, discomfort in your eyes and headaches.

    Understanding astigmatism

    There’s a good chance you’ve heard of astigmatism before. It’s a common eye condition that causes blurred vision, discomfort in your eyes and headaches.

  • Learning more about cataracts

    Learning more about cataracts

    You’ve probably heard of cataracts – when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy. It happens because the lens becomes hardened, and it means a gradual decrease in...

    Learning more about cataracts

    You’ve probably heard of cataracts – when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes cloudy. It happens because the lens becomes hardened, and it means a gradual decrease in...

  • The ins and outs of colour deficiency

    The ins and outs of colour deficiency

    You might know colour deficiency by its other name – colour blindness. This name isn’t technically correct, as most people living with colour deficiency can actually still see colours. 

    The ins and outs of colour deficiency

    You might know colour deficiency by its other name – colour blindness. This name isn’t technically correct, as most people living with colour deficiency can actually still see colours. 

1 3
View all