Presbyopia is a condition in which the lens of the eye loses its ability to focus, making it difficult to see objects up close.
In the young eye, the lens needs to change its length or shape to focus on objects that are close. The ability of the lens to change shape is called the elasticity of the lens. This elasticity is slowly lost as people age. The result is a slow decrease in the ability of the eye to focus on nearby objects. People usually notice the condition at around age 45, when they realize that they need to hold reading materials further away in order to focus on them. Presbyopia is a natural part of the aging process and affects everyone.
One way to address this without glasses is to create a monovision effect with multifocal LASIK surgery. With monovision, one eye sees slightly better at distance, and the other sees better up close. Well-established LASIK technology has advanced for the purpose of producing freedom from ALL glasses and contacts, especially for people 48 years and older.
Presbyopia is the process of the eye progressively losing its ability to focus on near objects, including reading material. Although the exact cause is uncertain in a normally aging eye, it is most likely due to a gradual loss of elasticity in the lens. It is noticeable between the ages of 40 and 50, and forces us into reading classes or bifocals for clear near vision.
The loss of our reading focus can also be abrupt and severe once our clouded lens is removed during cataract surgery. A conventional replacement lens implant has a single focus that is set at the horizon. This allows excellent natural distance vision without glasses after cataract surgery, but requires us to use reading glasses to focus for our near needs.
Presbyopic-correcting lens implants, implanted at the time of cataract surgery, allows for excellent, glasses-free distance and near vision after healing. Computer work, phone activities and most reading activities can be enjoyed without the need for glasses.
Mercyhealth eye surgeons implant the Crystalens®, the Technis® Multifocal Lens, and the ReSTOR® Lens for distance and near correction following cataract surgery. Our surgeons will evaluate your needs and will recommend which premium lens implant is best for you.