Common Eye Diseases and Disorders - Presbyopia

Everyone considering refractive surgery should be aware of the natural condition of aging known as presbyopia. It is a gradual loss of the ability to focus on near objects and is sometimes referred to as "old age vision".

	When your eye ages… When a person is young, the natural lens of the eye is soft and flexible enabling it to change shape to focus on near objects. But as the eye ages, the lens loses its flexibility and can no longer vary the focus of the eye. This condition usually becomes noticeable some time between 40 and 50 years of age.

What are the symptoms of Presbyopia?

People with normal vision up to that time find it increasingly difficult to focus on near objects, like words on a page, and need to resort to wearing glasses for reading and other close up activities. Those who have their vision brought to a normal range (20/20) with refractive surgery can expect this same condition to develop as their eyes age.