Aging is a completely natural process that affects all organs in the human body. One of them is the eyes, which is why vision gradually deteriorates after 40. Presbyopia - although it is not a disease, it can hinder daily life, so it is worth consulting an ophthalmologist at the onset of vision problems.
How does eyesight change after age 40?
Deteriorating eyesight after 40 is a problem ok. 10 million Poles, and presbyopia is considered its most common cause. Presbyopia, as the professional name for this phenomenon, arises as a result of natural processes in the human body. With age, the lens stiffens and the eye's accommodative abilities are weakened. This means that the visual organ loses the ability to adjust focus to view objects at different distances. This complex process, patients experience as a deterioration of vision. Changes are, unfortunately, inevitable - they cannot be stopped, even through a healthy lifestyle, which, of course, does not relieve anyone from taking care of the so-called "healthy lifestyle. Eye hygiene, which consists of proper lighting while reading, proper distance of the eyes from the text or monitor, or taking breaks while watching TV and reading.
Sight after 40 deteriorates gradually. In the first stage of lens aging, changes occur in leaps and bounds and are most noticeable. Over time, however, presbyopia is already developing less rapidly; every two to three years, the loss of visual acuity worsens by a quarter or half diopter.
Presbyopia is considered by many to be a nuisance, as it causes discomfort and interferes with simple daily activities such as: reading a newspaper or writing a text message. This often forces patients to move the object they are observing far from their eyes so they can see its details - such as fine print.
Sight after 40 - the first signs of presbyopia
Deterioration of vision after 40 causes specific symptoms that should not be underestimated. The first symptoms are especially noticed by patients with farsightedness, since in their case one of the ways to cope with the defect is to use the eye's accommodation.
Characteristic symptoms in this group include: the need to increase the distance from which the patient looks at a close object - such as holding a book farther and farther away from the eyes, and difficulty reading small text.
For nearsighted people, on the other hand, deteriorating vision after 40 can make the patient consider their current glasses too "strong." He can also start reading without them, even though it was impossible before. However, the illusion of improved vision eventually passes, and then comes the moment when you have to opt for focusing lenses.
Importantly, in the case of presbyopia, vision deterioration is gradual - rather than sudden symptoms such as eye pain, complete lack of visual acuity or doubled vision. Such ailments must be consulted with a specialist right away.
How to improve eyesight after 40?
People with presbyopia must come to terms with the fact that deteriorating eyesight after 40 is a natural process that cannot be reversed. However, thanks to medical advances, presbyopia can be effectively corrected to restore patients' visual comfort.
Current ophthalmic treatments for presbyopia include:
- Laser vision correction - Until a few years ago, for satisfactory results, ophthalmologists used monovision. The procedure involved leaving a small "minus" in one eye to help with the perception of objects seen up close. This method, however, limited indirect vision and interfered with spatial vision. An improved form of laser treatment for presbyopia is the PresbyMAX method. Here, one eye is not compared to the other, and the defect is corrected to zero on both eyes. During the procedure, the cornea is reshaped to give the patient the ability to see near and far without the need for glasses.
- Refractive lens replacement - is a solution dedicated to patients who, for various reasons, cannot undergo laser surgery. The procedure involves correcting eye defects, such as a cornea that is too flat or too thin, by removing the natural lens and replacing it with an artificial multifocal lens.
- Wearing glasses - this is the simplest and most popular method of improving vision. However, it is important to remember that instead of buying glasses from a pharmacy or drugstore, it is safer and more efficient to make an appointment with an optometrist, who will tailor the glasses to the patient's individual needs. However, the use of glasses has inconveniences - they need to be replaced from time to time as the defect worsens, and for some it is simply uncomfortable. In particular, people who use glasses and hearing aids at the same time are prone to inconveniences and falls of one or the other instrument.
Those who have noticed that their eyesight is getting weaker in their 40s or have other vision problems can learn more about the detailed range of laser vision correction treatments offered by Voigt Eye Clinic Krakow.