What is presbyopia
Presbyopia is the progressive loss of the eye's ability to focus on close objects. It appears with age, usually starting at 40, and is due to the lens, the eye's natural lens, losing elasticity. It is also known as eyestrain. It is not a disease: it is part of the natural aging of the eye and is well compensated with glasses or contact lenses.
Why presbyopia appears
The lens is the natural lens of the eye. In youth, it is flexible and changes shape depending on what we want to look at: it curves more to focus on nearby objects and flattens for distant ones. With age, it loses elasticity and can no longer curve as it once did. This makes it harder to focus on nearby objects.
This happens, sooner or later, to almost everyone. It starts between 40 and 45 years of age and stabilizes around 60. It doesn't depend on how much you've read or the time you spend in front of screens: it's part of the natural aging of the eye.
Sometimes it is confused with eye strain, but they are different things. Eye strain is a temporary tiredness of the eye and goes away with rest. Presbyopia does not.
How is presbyopia treated
Frequent questions
What does the word "presbyopia" mean?
It comes from the Greek "presbys," meaning "elder." The term refers to a visual change associated with the aging of the eye. In Spanish, "presbicia" or "vista cansada" are used interchangeably.
Is presbyopia the same as eyestrain?
Yes, they are the same. "Presbyopia" is the technical term; "eyestrain" is the common name. Both refer to the same natural process: the progressive loss of the eye's ability to focus on close objects.
Difference between presbyopia and eyestrain →
Is presbyopia hereditary?
Not directly. Presbyopia appears in almost everyone with age, so in that sense, it is not "inherited." What can be inherited is the age at which it begins to be noticed, which varies somewhat among families.
