Are you over 40? Facts to Know About Age-Related Vision Changes

We all have things to pay closer attention to after age 40. Maintaining sharp vision can help us continue to see and experience life to the fullest.

The information below will help you speak with your eye care professional about natural age-related vision changes and how the right eyeglass lenses can help you maintain sharp vision. 

1. After age 40, almost all adults develop presbyopia – a vision condition in which the crystalline lens of the eye loses its flexibility, making it difficult to focus on close objects.
   
   
2. Presbyopia is a natural part of the eye’s aging process.
   
   
3. Some signs of presbyopia include:
   1. the tendency to hold reading materials farther away than before
   2. blurred vision at normal reading distance  
   3. eye fatigue along with headaches when doing close-up work
4. The aging cornea and lens in the eye become less clear causing light to scatter inside the eye, which increases glare and reduces contrast sensitivity — the ability to discern subtle differences in brightness of objects — making it harder to see at night.
   
   
5. Age-related eye problems such as cataracts can develop slowly and you may be unaware that your vision is declining.
   
   
6. To maintain sharp vision, you should have an eye exam annually after age 40.  Early diagnosis as well as treatment of eye and vision problems are important for maintaining good vision and eye health, and when possible, preventing vision loss.
   
   
7. An optometrist will determine the specific lenses that will allow you to see clearly and comfortably as presbyopia and cataracts can complicate other common vision conditions such as:
   
   
   1. Nearsightedness – condition in which visual images come to a focus in front of the retina, causing blurry distance vision
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   2. Farsightedness – condition in which visual images come to a focus behind the retina making it more difficult for the eyes to focus on near objects
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   3. Astigmatism – condition in which the cornea's curvature is asymmetrical, so light rays are focused at two points rather than one, resulting in blurred vision
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
8. To help you compensate for presbyopia and age-related vision changes, your optometrist can prescribe reading, single vision, bifocal, trifocal or progressive lenses.
   
   
9. Modern progressive lenses offer key advantages over bifocal and trifocal lenses.  These lenses make sharp vision possible at all distances, without interruption of vision from one viewing distance to another, and without a visible line on the lens.
   
   
10. ZEISS customized lenses are designed uniquely for you, based on your exact prescription, the frame you
      choose and even the way the eyewear fits your face, to give you the best vision possible.

Are you over 40? Facts to Know About Age-Related Vision Changes