ASK AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST

I’m 43 and I’ve never worn glasses before, but suddenly, I need readers! What’s happening!?

Presbyopia, or “middle-aged vision,” is the slow, progressive loss of the ability of our natural lens to flex and accommodate for near visual tasks, such as reading a book, your watch or cellphone. It does not affect your distance vision, only your up-close vision. Presbyopia has a very slow progression, but it can seem quite abrupt in some patients as they have slowly adapted to holding things further away to read and focus. It will happen to all of us at some point, between 40-55 years of age, whether we have never worn glasses or have had surgery to correct our vision. Non-surgical options to help include over-the-counter or prescription reading glasses, bifocals, contact lenses or multifocal contact lenses. Thankfully, as the technology of lasers and intraocular lenses have advanced, we now have the ability to conquer presbyopia for life! LASIK for blended vision or monovision, as well as Refractive Lens Exchange, can temporarily and even permanently correct this problem, giving you more freedom from reading glasses and a better overall lifestyle.

I’ve just been diagnosed with macular degeneration and I’ve read there is no cure. What do I need to know about living with this condition?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease affecting the central part of the retina called the macula. There are two forms of AMD, wet and dry, both of which can cause severe loss of your central vision. The more common dry form results in thinning of the retina and deposition of protein clumps called drusen. These changes lead to slow loss of vision and, unfortunately, is not treatable currently. Wet AMD is less common but can cause more rapid and severe vision loss secondary to the growth of small, leaky blood vessels that lead to bleeding and scarring in the retina. Wet AMD can be treated with a laser or injections of medicines into the eye. Risk factors for AMD include diets high in saturated fats, obesity and smoking. For disease prevention, eat a diet full of green, leafy vegetables and wear UV-blocking sunglasses while outdoors. Living with AMD can be difficult. If your central vision is severely impacted, a specialist can recommend tools or devices to help perform normal daily tasks such as magnifiers for reading or telescopes for driving. An occupational therapist can assess your home and advise on ways to improve navigation and safety.

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