About Age & Vision

Even if you have had “normal” eyesight all your life, anyone who is over 40 knows quite well that vision begins to change in a number of different ways. Between the ages of 40 and 60, the most obvious changes to vision occur in the eye structure called the crystalline lens.

In people under 40, the crystalline lens is typically crystal clear, as the name implies, and is also soft and flexible. It is this flexibility that allows the lens to change its shape and alter its curvature so that it can focus your vision at various distances from far, to near, to arm’s length, letting us enjoy being able to see things at all distances.  As we enter the 40’s, the crystalline lens begins to lose its flexibility, making it more and more difficult for us to change focus and see arm’s length or close objects or reading material. This loss of flexibility is called Presbyopia.

About Near Vision & Presbyopia

Presbyopia, which literally means “old eyes”, is a  normal and expected consequence of the aging process. When the crystalline lens loses its ability to flex, it is no longer able to change its shape and effectively bend light rays as sharply, and the ability to focus on near objects is diminished. People experiencing the start of presbyopia often notice that their “arms are too short” to read and they have to hold close things further away to see them clearly. Presbyopia affects everyone including those who have cataracts. When presbyopia begins, people who already wear glasses may need bifocals or trifocals, and those who have never worn glasses may require reading glasses. Recently, thanks to advances in lens extraction surgery techniques and modern lens implants, lens replacement surgery has helped many patients restore their normal range of vision without dependence on bifocals and trifocals.