Change- to vision after 40
Ch- ch- changes turn and face the strain.
Pretty soon you’re gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time
If you know the rest of the words to this David Bowie song, chances are you are over 40! Speaking of change, an inevitable one to occur around this age is the reduced ability to see near print and objects clearly.
If you have never required glasses or contacts to correct distance vision, this loss of near vision can be concerning and frustrating. You may feel like you have abruptly lost the ability to read that restaurant menu, your mobile phone or even the DVD screen on that last plane trip.
In reality, your vision has been undergoing gradual change since childhood but it is only now that your eyes don’t have enough focusing power to see clearly for closer work- this is known as presbyopia. A result of the lens inside the eye losing its flexibility which allows the eye to change focus from objects that are far away to objects that are near.
Another inevitability is that we all approach change differently. Some of us resist it, while others embrace it, or likely just gradually resign ourselves to things being different. When your vision starts to change, the unknown is scary. However, presbyopia is normal and there are several solutions to enhance your vision.
While some people resort to cheap over the counter glasses; they are just getting by. Furthermore as we get older, we also need to look after our health. Medically speaking, from the age of 40, is when our risk increases for eye conditions like glaucoma – conditions that with early detection and treatment mean that you can maintain good vision for your lifetime. So the change in near vision focus after 40 could be said to be telling you that it’s time to see your optometrist, and start having regular eye examinations.
People with presbyopia have several options to regain clear near vision. They include;
Glasses; with a personalised prescription and quality lenses your vision can be as sharp as ever and depending on your lifestyle, occupation, hobbies and daily visual demands there are several lens options to ensure glasses work well for you.
Furthermore, don’t underestimate the importance of a perfectly fitting spectacle frame. Frames are not unlike shoes: they not only have to look good but they must fit well for the glasses to work their best. Quality does feel better and will last the distance meaning you can often reuse your frame even if your prescription lenses require updating.
Contact lenses; including multifocal to provide both clear distance and near vision simultaneously.
Surgery; such as LASIK or other refractive surgeries
Initially, presbyopia becomes more advanced. You may notice that you need to change your glasses or contact lens prescription more frequently than you used to. Around age 60, these changes in near vision reduce, and prescription changes should occur less often.
Presbyopia can't be prevented or cured, but most people should be able to regain clear, comfortable near vision for all of their lifestyle needs. So if it is you or someone in your family, experiencing changing vision, help them to embrace the change and book in for a comprehensive eye examination at your local optometrist. And just in case you are wondering, David Bowie’s song Changes, was released on the Hunky Dory album in 1971.