What is Presbyopia?  

For individuals over the age of 40, presbyopia will most likely affect Presbyopia is a term derived from Greek, meaning “old sight.” This age-related condition is primarily caused by a decrease in the flexibility of the eye’s lens, making it more difficult to focus on near objects. This weakening of the eye’s focusing ability can continue to worsen as we age.  

The “accommodation” of the lens is the process that alters the focus of images on the retina and is regulated by the ciliary muscles. These muscles contract and relax to change the shape of the lens, making it flatter or thicker depending on the distance of the object viewed. This alteration in the shape of the lens works with pupil constriction and convergence to sharpen the images of near objects onto the retina. This is an autonomic reflex controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system.  

Signs of Presbyopia  

If you have Presbyopia, you may notice that you have to hold items like a phone or book at a greater distance than usual to see them properly. As you age, the distance you need to hold items may increase, as may headaches, eye strain, and fatigue. These are all indicators that you may require assistance in viewing objects up close and should seek an eye test from an optician.  

Your prescription may indicate presbyopia in two distinct ways. Look for a “+Add” or a full reading prescription written in addition to the full long-distance prescription. The “+Add” is the extra magnifying power required to read up close, and its strength increases with age.  

Addressing presbyopia?  

Presbyopia can be addressed with multiple approaches. Reading glasses are the most straightforward option, although they may be inconvenient given the need to continually take them on and off depending on what you are doing.  

Bifocals provide a viable alternative, featuring a primary lens designed for long-range viewing with an additional, affixed segment for reading. However, bifocals have drawbacks such as a sharp visible dividing line and an abrupt shift in lens power between the long-range and reading sections, which may make it slightly disorientating for some people.  

  
As the accommodation (ability to see short distances) weakens with age, typically after the age of 50, it becomes increasingly difficult to use single vision and bifocal lenses to correct your vision for both near and intermediate distances, as you may also need the right lens to cover intermediate distances too.  

Progressive power lenses, more commonly recognised as varifocals, are the most widespread and effective solution for presbyopia. With this type of lens, you can see all distances through the same lens due to the two reference points—the long-distance prescription at the top and the reading prescription at the bottom—with a middle corridor that gradually transitions from the top to the bottom in terms of magnification.  

Varifocals offer the convenience of providing clear vision at all distances, though some may feel a period of adjustment is necessary to become comfortable with the slight distortion at the edges of the lens. Over a small amount of time, however, most people find adjusting to the lens straightforward.

Picking the best glasses for presbyopia  

Thanks to modern varifocal lens designs, frame size constraints have been significantly minimised.  Varifocal lenses offer a variety of advantages over regular single-vision lenses. Not only do they provide the same slim profile and tinting options, but they also offer the wearer more flexibility in different vision ranges without needing to change glasses.

Varifocal lenses are designed to provide the wearer with clear vision at all distances, from near to far, making them ideal for those who need to see clearly at multiple distances throughout the day. We also offer a variety of tints for these lenses, allowing you to customise your lenses to suit your personal needs, from working with digital screens to moving between bright and dark areas throughout the day.  

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