Why do we lose our near vision?

vision-presbyopia
 
Unfortunately, the ageing process by its very nature is not something that any of us look forward to with much anticipation. Quite the opposite in fact; once we hit 40 and that dreaded middle age milestone, we gradually begin to notice aches and ailments in parts of our body that we didn’t even know existed previously....not only that, we begin to notice that our mind isn’t what it used to be either as it starts to play games of hide ‘n’ seek with our everyday vital items, forcing us to frequently question our sanity!
 
The bad news is that our eyes behave no differently to the rest of the body then, in terms of middle age degeneration, but the good news is that there is always comfort to be found in shared common and shared misfortune….and in the case of presbyopia, (which means ageing of the eye), this is a condition that will affect practically everybody once they pass the magical age of 40.
 
Presbyopia itself is the term which is applied to the loss of near vision, the most obvious sign of the condition being blurred and out of focus text on print materials; no matter how hard we squint, once Presbyopia sets in, the eye simply cannot make out letters that once upon a time (very long ago!) it had no problem reading.
 
Medically, what happens with the onset of Presbyopia is that the lens of the eye becomes stiff; again, this is merely an unfortunate result of the ageing process. The ciliary muscle, which has responsibility for squeezing the lens into the right shape to allow us to see things that are in our near vision, becomes less flexible and less elastic. As this muscle simply loses its ability to fully control the lens, the lens of the eye can no longer change shape, resulting in difficulties with focusing on objects in the near vision.
 
But now for the good news! As a result of the great laser eye surgery treatment options offered by Optilase, Presbyopia no longer needs to be a problem which people must endure as they approach their middle age. Now, instead of worrying about bringing (and then maybe breaking!) glasses everywhere just to be able to enjoy simple pleasures such as reading the newspaper, a simple and completely painless 10 minute laser eye treatment can restore complete vision, and in the process completely do away with the need for glasses!
 
Hubert Hawthorne decided that constantly having to think about his glasses – whether forgetting to bring them with him, or worse still, actually remembering to bring them only to then inadvertently sit on them – had become, what he very aptly describes as “a scourge!”. So, when his daughter underwent laser eye surgery with us here at Optilase Dublin, who better than her to advise her Dad to come and have a consultation with our Optometrist, to see whether this might also be an option for him? Hubert was very pleasantly surprised to hear that not only was he suitable for the procedure, it was a 10 minute, completely painless procedure...very comforting for someone with a fear of needles. So, when he finally presented for the procedure, having been completely reassured by our team as regards exactly what was involved, he didn’t even realise at first that the treatment had been completed! Hubert now no longer has to worry about glasses every again....and he can also now see the date on his watch, something which he didn’t realise was even on his watch prior to laser eye surgery!
 
Margaret Kelly was another recent beneficiary of laser eye surgery at our clinic, and Margaret’s reason for seeking a long-term glasses free vision solution was simply that she intensely disliked wearing glasses. Why? She always felt that glasses just did not suit her face; no matter what style, colour, or brand she wore, she was extremely self-conscious because she just did not feel that glasses suited her! For any of us, looks are extremely important ....for one thing, feeling happy about how one looks is vital in terms of developing ones self -confidence. Now that Margaret no longer needs to wear those dreaded glasses ever again, not just her vision but her entire life has been transformed!
 
Check out Hubert and Margaret’s - and indeed many other satisfied Optilase laser eye surgery recipients – on our testimonials page at /laser-eye-surgery-testimonials. See for yourself the ways in which laser eye surgery at Optilase has transformed people’s lives.
 
* To find out if you are a suitable candidate for this life-changing procedure contact Optilase today on +353 1 223 8821 or fill out the green contact form above right. See the Difference with Optilase!
 
Article written by Alan Shanley
 

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Renata Gomes
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Renata Gomes
June 2, 2026

I couldn't finish the process without leaving a review for this amazing team. Thank you all for helping me see so clearly without needing glasses. This month marks 3 months since I had LASIK, and it has truly been life-changing. Wearing glasses always bothered me because I enjoy sports, and even contact lenses were often uncomfortable. The whole journey started with Clare Hegarty at South William Street. Thank you so much, Clare, for your care and attention. As a Senior Optometrist, you gave me hope. At first, the process seemed almost too easy, which made me a little nervous, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. Thank you as well to Thomas Materman. Your clear, simple, and direct explanation of the procedure made me feel comfortable and confident throughout the process. Thank you to the entire Optilase team. Three months later, it feels as if I never had surgery at all—except that I can now see perfectly. I have experienced no negative side effects, and I am delighted with the results. I highly recommend Optilase to anyone considering LASIK surgery.☘️☘️☘️

Blaithin Cox
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Blaithin Cox
May 30, 2026

Couldn't be happier with my experience of the Lasek eye surgery. I had consultations in St William Street and surgery in Carrickmines, staff in both clinics were friendly, professional, and excellent staff their job. I would recommend Optilase to anyone considering laser eye surgery.

Anne Beakey
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Anne Beakey
April 29, 2026

Staff are lovely here and provide a great service

Shane Guihen
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Shane Guihen
April 20, 2026

Couldn't recommend highly enough, everyone I dealt with, from the initial consultation, to the surgery and the after care were absolutely top class and a pleasure to deal with

Katie Corcoran
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Katie Corcoran
April 13, 2026

Excellent service. I found optilase really great to deal with- they were so professional and well organised before and during the laser eye surgery. They were also very friendly and the aftercare was great.

Roisin Mitchell
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Roisin Mitchell
April 7, 2026

I had a great experience and Optilase getting laser eye surgery, it was without a doubt the best money I ever spent and wish I did it years ago! I rave about it to anyone who'll listen. From my initial consultation to the surgery itself in Dublin and the aftercare in Galway I couldn't rate it highly enough. The staff were so professional, informative, friendly and attentative throughout the whole process. Extremely happy customer!

amnnau
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amnnau
April 3, 2026

Got my PRK surgery with optilase couldnt be happier! I was cared for in each step even post surgery, give me a call or message if you need referral

Amy Phelan
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Amy Phelan
April 2, 2026

Had such an amazing experience with Optilase in Cork. Such a brilliant team, they all made me feel so relaxed and explained everything so well. They reassured me so much on the day of my surgery, and I never felt rushed with any questions. I would highly recommend Optilase to anyone even considering laser eye surgery. I am the most nervous and skeptical person and it’s truly the best thing I ever did, there is honestly nothing to be worried about!! I had zero pain whatsoever and my vision was clear by that evening and 100% perfect the next morning, it’s truly amazing! Wish I got it done years ago. I have so much freedom now without contact lenses or glasses, it’s so hard to believe my vision is fixed!!

Helen Sanfey
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Helen Sanfey
April 2, 2026

My experience has been amazing. Everything was super professional and I was handled with complete care. My vision is perfect now and has changed everything for me.

Chloe Kearney
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Chloe Kearney
March 5, 2026

Had a consultation done today couldn’t fault the team at optilase the were very informative answer all the questions I had very quick and professional would definitely recommend

Barry Neville
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Barry Neville
March 3, 2026

Very professional, and very customer focused

Timmy Kelleher
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Timmy Kelleher
February 18, 2026

I got the refractive lens surgery in December and from my first appointment to the last post op appointment I was looked after with great care, and I would recommend this company to anyone

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