Did you know that your eyes continually change throughout your life? Most people’s vision is pretty stable in their twenties until they are around forty.
Once you get to your fifties or sixties, you may notice your vision start changing. This may be in the form of cataracts or presbyopia.
Presbyopia occurs when the lens of the eye becomes less flexible as a result of age. You may need reading glasses to see things up close because of it. Keep reading to learn more about presbyopia and find out if you can correct it!
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is a condition that occurs when the lens of the eye begins to stiffen or lose flexibility. This loss of flexibility makes it more challenging to see things near you.
When presbyopia begins to develop, you’ll start having more trouble seeing things close to you. It’s perfectly normal if you start needing reading glasses in your forties or fifties.
Reading glasses bring near objects into focus for you to compensate for presbyopia.
Can You Correct Presbyopia?
Reading glasses are the simplest way to see things up close, as presbyopia makes it more challenging. They are inexpensive and easy to buy at any drug store or pharmacy.
Having to use reading glasses means you need to rely on them for up-close tasks. It isn’t easy to read without them, and if you’re putting on makeup or sewing.
You need to put your reading glasses on whenever you want to do something within an arm’s length. If you’ve never had to wear glasses before, this can be incredibly frustrating.
If you wear glasses for other vision problems, you’ll need to wear reading glasses and your prescription glasses. For many people, this sounds like a lot. If you don’t want to deal with reading glasses and want to reduce your dependence on glasses, refractive lens exchange may be worth considering.
What is Refractive Lens Exchange?
Refractive lens exchange, also called RLE, is a procedure that corrects presbyopia. It is very similar to cataract surgery, except that when you get RLE, there are no cataracts to remove.
The two procedures are virtually the same because both cataracts and presbyopia affect the natural lens of the eye. RLE, like cataract surgery, removes your natural lens and replaces it with an artificial lens, known as an intraocular lens or IOL.
IOLs do the job that your aging natural lenses can no longer do. They provide you with clear vision at most, if not all distances, and have the added benefit of never developing cataracts.
If you get RLE, you do not need cataract surgery in the future. Depending on the IOL you choose, you could have the best eyesight of your life.
New premium IOLs that are available have exceptional visual capabilities and can allow you to see clearly without glasses up-close, at intermediate ranges, and far away. During the procedure, your surgeon removes your natural lens and replaces it with the IOL.
Refractive lens exchange has a high rate of success. Getting RLE means you’ll never have to worry about cataracts or cataract surgery.
Many people like the idea of avoiding cataracts by getting RLE in their forties or fifties. You’ll be able to enjoy decades of clear vision for the rest of your life because IOLs are permanent! That means no cataracts to worry about in your future.
Are you interested in getting RLE to correct presbyopia? Schedule an appointment at Rosenthal Eye Surgery and Fifth Avenue EyeCare in Great Neck, NY today! Clear vision could be yours for the rest of your life!
