Presbyopia, Greek for “aging eye,” is caused by a combination of natural aging, the hardening of the eye’s crystalline lens, a transparent body in the front of the eye that serves to focus light rays on the retina, and a weakening of the focusing muscles. As people reach their 40s, the crystalline lens grows thicker and begins to lose its elasticity. Gradually, the eye muscle control diminishes and people find it increasingly difficult to focus on near objects. To compensate for the reduced focusing ability the tendency is to hold reading material further away. Eventually the arms become too short resulting in blurred vision and eye strain.

To correct this condition lenses of different powers are required. The first lens is a lens to correct the distance vision and the second lens provides the focusing power for reading. This is easily seen in bifocal spectacles. The most common consequence of bifocals is the loss clarity for intermediate distances including computer work. Unfortunately, each lens strength has a very specific distance from the nose in which things will be clear. The same lens needed for reading will NOT work for seeing something a little further away such as the computer. To see the distance needed for the computer, a different strength is needed but that strength will not work for reading. Ultimately, to adequately function in life different lens strengths are needed for every distance. The ideal lens for correcting presbyopia is the progressive lens. This is a molded lens that provides power for all distances including the intermediate distances. Additionally this is a much more natural lens for your brain to accept. Where the bifocal only allows clear vision for two distances, the progressive simulates the eyes natural ability to have clear vision for all distances.