Presbyopia

The natural lens of the eye, which lies behind the pupil, acts to focus incoming light. When a baby is born, the lens is very soft and putty-like. The lens changes shape easily, becoming thicker when the child looks at something up close. This is like adding a magnifying glass to the eye. When vision is shifted to something at a distance, the lens thins in order to bring the far-away object into focus.

As the person ages, the lens lays down layers. These layers press and compact the lens’s core, reducing its flexibility. This loss of flexibility means that there is a corresponding loss in the eye’s ability to focus up close. This condition is known as presbyopia.

At first we don’t notice this change, although it starts in early childhood. But by the age of 40 or 45, most people have lost enough focusing power to notice. Such a person will report to the eye doctor’s office complaining, “My arms are too short!” Holding the newspaper a little farther away brings the print into clearer focus. However, this is inconvenient, and the practitioner will generally recommend reading glasses or bifocals. These lenses add the plus power that has been lost by the natural eye, and enables one to focus on near objects once again. There are also some contact lens options available that you might discuss with your eye doctor. Presbyopia continues to progress until about age 60 or 65.