If you have never relied on glasses or contact lens for vision correction, to find yourself suddenly straining to see objects up close can be a frustrating experience because it can only mean one thing: you are getting old!
Presbyopia, meaning ‘old eye’ is not a disease of the eye, rather it is a condition that presents as part of the ageing process.
Over time, the lens stiffens and cannot readily flex to adjust the focal power of the eye, and the ciliary muscles that contract and relax the lens become weaker and lose elasticity.
The inefficient functioning of these two parts of the eye result in permanent blurriness when it comes to seeing near objects clearly.
Presbyopia affects the vast majority of the population over the age of 40. While some people only experience mild symptoms that do not affect day-to-day living, others will need prescription lenses.
Reading glasses instant add years onto your appearance, making contact lenses a more attractive alternative. However contact lenses can be harsh on the eyes and are not suitable for everyone.
Bifocal contact lenses: Made up of two halves, usually the top part of the lens is used for distance while the bottom half corrects near vision. To wear bifocal contacts you must have moist eyes, good binocular vision and visual clarity in each eye.
Multifocal lenses: Known as a simultaneous design, both both distance and near vision are incorporated into the lens so that your brain is ultimately responsible in using whichever necessary in order to focus clearly.
If you are unable or don’t like to wear contact lenses and reading glasses are not to your taste, then there is always the option of getting a corneal inlay to alleviate the symptoms of presbyopia.
The Presbia Flexivue Microlens ™ is a safe and effective inlay that was developed in The Netherlands that was developed to be biocompatible with the human cornea.
Available at Optilase, the tiny 3mm transparent lens is implanted into the middle layer of the cornea in a person’s non-dominant eye.
The procedure takes less than ten minutes and causes no permanent damage to corneal tissue. In fact, the Presbia microlens can be easily removed or replaced if your prescription changes or there are any future developments in presbyopia treatment options.
To find out more about Presbia and corneal inlay options at Optilase, or to book a free consultation call +353 1 223 8821.