Fact Sheet: Presbyopia

Presbyopia

• Presbyopia is caused by a gradual hardening of the natural crystalline lens of the eye. As the lens gets harder and less flexible, the eye’s ability to switch from seeing objects at a distance (road signs) to seeing objects that are near (reading a map) is compromised (see image at right).
• Presbyopia affects nearly every adult over the age of 50.
• Presbyopia is the loss of near or reading vision.
• The most commonly prescribed treatments for the loss of near or reading vision from presbyopia are reading glasses and bifocals.
• Today, depending on the lifestyle and eye health needs, a person with cataracts and presbyopia can be treated with a new generation of presbyopia-correcting intraocular lens (IOL) implants.

Today, depending on the lifestyle and eye health needs, a person with cataracts and presbyopia can be treated with a new generation of presbyopia-correcting intraocular lens (IOL) implants.