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Presbyopia Treatment in Denver

Have you ever wondered what it would be
like to see without your glasses or contacts?

During middle age, usually beginning in the 40s, people experience blurred vision at near points, such as when reading, sewing, or working at the computer. There's no getting around it — this happens to everyone at some point in their life, even if they never had a vision problem before.

Presbyopia, also known as the “short arm syndrome,” is a term used to describe an eye in which the natural lens can no longer accommodate. Presbyopia is a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of your eye loses its flexibility, which makes it difficult for you to focus on close objects. Presbyopia may seem to occur suddenly, but the actual loss of flexibility takes place over a number of years. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in the early to mid-forties. Recognized as a natural part of the aging process of the eye, presbyopia is not a disease and it cannot be prevented.

Most people first notice difficulty reading very fine print such as the phone book, a medicine bottle, or the stock market page. Print seems to have less contrast and the eyes become easily fatigued when reading a book or computer screen. Early on, holding reading material further away helps for many patients. Some signs of presbyopia include the tendency to hold reading materials at arm's length, blurred vision at normal reading distance and eye fatigue along with headaches when doing close work.

Signs of Presbyopia

• Difficulty reading fine print
• Difficulty seeing clearly up close
• Less contrast when reading print
• A need for brighter and more direct light for reading
• Needing to hold reading material further away in order to see it clearly
• Headaches that occur when doing work that requires near vision
• Fatigue while reading or working on a computer

Treatment for Presbyopia
The treatment for presbyopia is usually very simple, but is entirely dependent on the individual’s age, lifestyle, occupation, and hobbies.

Eyewear - To help you compensate for presbyopia, your Denver eye doctor may just prescribe reading glasses, bifocals, trifocals or contact lenses. You may only need to wear your glasses for close work like reading, but you may find that wearing them all the time is more convenient and beneficial for your vision needs. Since the effects of presbyopia continue to change the ability of the crystalline lens to focus properly, periodic changes in your eyewear may be necessary to maintain clear and comfortable vision.

Monovision - Another option is monovision: adjusting one eye for distance vision, and the fellow eye for reading vision. This can be done with contact lenses or permanently with LASIK or CK. There are contact lenses for presbyopes, called multifocal lenses. You can obtain multifocal contact lenses in gas permeable or soft lens materials. Another type of contact lens correction for presbyopia is monovision, in which one eye wears a distance prescription, and the other wears a prescription for near vision. The brain learns to favor one eye or the other for different tasks. But while some people are delighted with this solution, others complain of dizziness or nausea, or miss the depth perception they once had.

SRP - Many people with presbyopia opt to treat their condition surgically with SRP, or Surgical Reversal of presbyopia:

SRP is for those who:

• want to reduce or eliminate their dependence on reading glasses or bifocals
• are at an age where they are experiencing presbyopia
• have no health issues affecting their eyes

What to expect on surgery day
You will arrive at the surgery center 30-60 minutes prior to your procedure. Once you have been checked in you may be offered a sedative to help you relax. You will then be prepared for surgery. The area around your eyes will be cleaned and a sterile drape may be applied around your eye. Topical or local anesthesia will be used to eliminate discomfort during the procedure. Four arched plastic implants, each about the size of a grain of rice, are implanted just below the white part of the eye, or sclera, near the edge of the lens. These implants pull the diameter of the eye outward, which in turn, creates additional space around the lens. The procedure takes between 30 and 60 minutes to perform.

Following your procedure, you will be given additional eye drops. Your vision will probably be a little blurry at first, so someone will need to drive you home. You should relax for the rest of the day. You may experience some discomfort, but this is usually alleviated with an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Most patients resume normal activities the day after their surgery. Your ability to read will return gradually. Just like any muscle that hasn't been used for a while, it takes time to restore its function. You will be given exercises to speed this process. At first, it is normal to feel a slight discomfort while doing these reading exercises, but this should diminish as your ability to read improves.

After a thorough eye exam, you and your Denver eye doctor will determine if SRP is an option for you. For more information on the treatments available for presbyopia, meet with a qualified surgeon who can answer your questions and help you decide what treatment will give you the best results.

For more information on what LASIK and other vision correction
procedures can do for you, Contact a Denver eye surgeon

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