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Presbyopia
Presbyopia Treatment in San Francisco
Presbyopia is an age-related loss of near vision that causes people to need reading glasses or eyeglasses with bifocals or progressives. At San Francisco Eye Institute, our ophthalmologists and optometrists offer a number of treatments for the correction of presbyopia.
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is the age-related loss of near vision. It is a natural part of the eye’s aging process, resulting when the lens of the eye begins to grow more rigid and is less able to flex to focus on close-up objects. Most people begin to develop presbyopia after the age of 40.1
Symptoms of Presbyopia
Most people begin to notice symptoms of presbyopia around age 40. Presbyopia symptoms may include:
- Trouble focusing up close
- New difficulty reading fine print
- Difficulty transitioning from near vision to distance vision
- Difficulty seeing well in low light
- A need for reading glasses, even when wearing contact lenses
- Eye strain
- Needing to hold reading materials at arm’s length to see them properly2
What are the Risk Factors for Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is a normal part of the eye’s aging process, and it affects everyone. Certain people may begin to notice symptoms of presbyopia before the age of 40. Risk factors for presbyopia include:
- Farsightedness (hyperopia)
- Anemia
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Eye trauma or injury3
How is Presbyopia Diagnosed?
Presbyopia can be diagnosed by an ophthalmologist during an eye examination. At San Francisco Eye Institute, we encourage our patients to come in for annual eye exams beginning at age 40, as this is when signs of presbyopia typically begin to appear. If you have been struggling with near vision or depending on reading glasses, it may be time to consider scheduling a consultation with an eye doctor on our team.
Is There a Cure for Presbyopia?
There is no cure for presbyopia, but there are a number of treatments that can help a person reduce or even eliminate their dependence on reading glasses or bifocals.
Treatment to Correct Presbyopia
For many people, the first line of treatment for presbyopia is to get a pair of reading glasses, but these can be costly and inconvenient. At San Francisco Eye Institute, we offer a range of treatments that can make it easier for our patients with presbyopia to see up close without reading glasses. These treatments include:
Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE)
Refractive lens exchange (RLE) is a procedure identical to cataract surgery, where the natural lens of the eye is replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL), except that in this case no significant cataracts are present. RLE can also treat nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, and it prevents the need for future cataract surgery.
Learn More About Refractive Lens Exchange
At San Francisco Eye Institute, we offer a number of presbyopia-correcting lenses for use in refractive lens exchange or cataract surgery. Learn more about IOL options available to our patients.
Monovision or Blended Vision
Monovision, sometimes referred to as blended vision, involves correcting one eye for near vision and the other eye for distance vision. The brain combines images from both eyes to create comprehensive clear vision at all ranges. This can be achieved by using different IOLs during refractive lens exchange or through a laser vision correction procedure like LASIK or PRK.
VUITY™ Eye Drops
At San Francisco Eye Institute, we are proud to offer a revolutionary treatment for presbyopia: VUITY eye drops. These FDA-approved, prescription-only eye drops contain a medication called pilocarpine, which temporarily constricts the size of the pupil to make it easier to see up close. VUITY is ideal for daytime use, making it easier for our patients to read, work, and take care of other tasks without reading glasses. With VUITY, patients only need one drop a day. It works in as little as 15 minutes and lasts for up to 6 hours, and patients typically gain 3 or more lines of vision.4
Who is a Candidate for Presbyopia Treatment?
If you have been struggling to see clearly when reading or performing other up-close tasks, you may be a good candidate for presbyopia treatment. The best way to know if you have presbyopia and which treatment is best for you and your lifestyle is to schedule an eye examination with an experienced ophthalmologist.
Contact San Francisco Eye Institute
Contact UsPresbyopia affects nearly everyone, but it doesn’t have to inconvenience you or impact your activities. Your eye health and clear vision are our top priority. If you’ve been struggling to see up close or have been using reading glasses lately, the eye specialists at San Francisco Eye Institute can create the ideal presbyopia treatment plan to meet your needs. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Presbyopia
If I have 20/20 vision, can I get presbyopia?
Yes. As our eyes age, the lenses in our eyes become less flexible. This is what causes presbyopia, and it happens to everybody.
Is presbyopia the same as being farsighted?
Presbyopia has a different root cause from farsightedness (hyperopia). Presbyopia is an age-related decline in the flexibility of the lens of the eye. Farsightedness, however, is experienced by people of all ages. In people who are farsighted, the eye is shorter than normal or the cornea not as sharply curved as it should be. This means that light is refracted beyond the retina, and that causes close objects to appear blurry.4
Will LASIK cure presbyopia?
LASIK can’t technically cure presbyopia, but it can be used to diminish or even eliminate the need for reading glasses. At San Francisco Eye Institute, we can perform monovision LASIK, correcting one eye for close vision and the other for distance. The brain will meld these separate images together to create cohesive, clear vision at all ranges. Not everyone will be able to adapt to monovision, so this may be trialed with contact lenses prior to surgery.
Does LASIK wear off after age 40?
No. LASIK permanently corrects vision problems due to an existing refractive error, but it cannot prevent the diminished elasticity of the eye’s lens that is the cause of presbyopia. This is why, even after LASIK or another form of laser refractive surgery, people begin to lose their near vision around the age of 40.
Sources1 American Academy of Ophthalmology. What is Presbyopia? Available: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopia. Accessed October 1, 2021..
2 National Eye Institute. Presbyopia. Available: https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/presbyopia. Accessed October 1, 2021.
3 Mayo Clinic. Presbyopia. Available: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/presbyopia/symptoms-causes/syc-20363328. Accessed October 1, 2021.
4 Orasis Pharmaceuticals Ltd. A Multi-Center, Double-Masked Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of CSF-1 in the Treatment of Presbyopia. ClinicalTrials.gov. 21 March 2019. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03885011?term=NCT03885011&draw=2&rank=1. Accessed January 5, 2022.
5 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Farsightedness: Causes of Hyperopia. Available: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/hyperopia-farsightedness-causes. Accessed October 1, 2021.
The doctors at San Francisco Eye Institute have either authored or reviewed and approved this content.
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