When your near vision starts to decline, everything from ordering off a restaurant’s menu to reading your text messages becomes more difficult. It’s quite possible if you’re experiencing this and you’re over the age of 40 that this is caused by Presbyopia. Presbyopia is a condition wherein the eyes lose the ability to focus on nearby objects.
Table of Contents
- What Is Presbyopia?
- Are There Eye Exercises That Can Help?
- Rotating Your Eyes
- Practice Focusing
- Thumbs up!
- Book an Appointment to Learn More About LASIK
What Is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is the gradual loss of your eyes’ ability to focus on nearby objects. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in your early to mid 40s and continues to worsen until around age 65.
In the eye of a younger person, the lens is soft and flexible. It is able to easily change shape, which allows them to focus on objects that are both close-up and far away. After the age 40 though, the lens becomes more rigid. A rigid lens cannot change shape as easily. This makes nearby objects look blurry. This makes it harder to do close-up tasks, like reading small fonts.
It’s natural and has been happening for as long as human beings have been able to reach old age. This is why just about all elderly people wear glasses, whether or not they did as a young person. In fact, the term “presbyopia” comes from a Greek word which means “old eye.”
Are There Eye Exercises That Can Help?
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, as of 2015 there were over 1.8 billion people living with presbyopia. Just because it happens to many of us doesn’t mean you’re stuck living this way.
Remember, one of the primary causes of Presbyopia is the weakening of certain eye muscles. What happens if your bicep is weak? You lift weights! What if your legs are weak? You walk around the neighborhood and eventually work your way up to a jog. Just like these and any other muscle in the body, your eye muscles need exercise.
There are actually some simple eye exercises for Presbyopia that you can perform in order to prevent disease progression and improve your vision. By giving them a little workout, your eye muscles will be able to continue functioning at their best. Try these:
Rotating Your Eyes
An easy exercise involves rotating the eyes clockwise and vice versa. While sitting, close your eyes. Imagine a circle at the back of your eyelids and have your eye follow that circle in a clockwise direction for about 10 or even 15 rotations. Rest your eyes for a few minutes then do this in the opposite direction.
Practice Focusing
Another exercise to try is to hold your index finger a few inches from your face. Focus on the tip of your finger while it is roughly 6 inches from your eyes, for about 90 seconds. Next, shift your gaze in the same direction to another object 10 feet away. Go back and forth between the tip of your finger and the object. Repeat this routine for about 5 minutes.
Thumbs up!
You can also stand with one arm extended, with your thumb up. Focus your gaze on your thumb and slowly bring it closer to your head. When it becomes difficult to focus, move your thumb away from you.
It is important to note that while eye exercises can improve vision perception, they will not reverse or cure Presbyopia. Only glasses, contacts, and IOL surgery can actually correct Presbyopia.
Book an Appointment to Learn More About LASIK
A basic eye exam can confirm Presbyopia. Once you have your diagnosis, we can discuss your next steps. It may be eye surgery to implant intraocular lenses, done by the top eye doctor’s in the area. Presbyopia can be corrected by the friendly, experienced team at Eye Care Professionals of Reno.
Presbyopia can be diagnosed with a routine eye exam, such as the one offered by Eye Care Professionals of Reno. Then, we’ll discuss your treatment options, including surgery.
