Presbyopia - How the Eye Ages

Are you suddenly having trouble seeing things up close?

Like every other part of the body, the eyes are susceptible to the ageing process. This means that if you are over the age of 40 you will have probably noticed a gradual decline in your ability to see things clearly if they are up close. Known as presbyopia, there is nothing you can do to avoid it; it is merely a sign of growing older.

But I’ve never had vision problems before, so why now?

Presbyopia occurs when the lens along with the cillary muscles that control it lose their optimal function.

Lens: The transparent spherical lens becomes stiffer and less flexible when proteins the make up the lens dry up, causing rigidity of the lens itself.

Cillary muscles: The lens is held in place by fibrous strands referred to as cillary muscles. It is these stands that contract or relax on a constant basis to change the optical power of the lens. When the cillary muscles thicken and lose their elasticity over time, they are unable to focus the lens correctly.

What are the symptoms of presbyopia I should be looking out for?

To compensate for difficulty in seeing things up close, you may find yourself squinting or holding items at arm’s length to try and make objects or text appear clearer (reading menus, newspapers or text messages). If you are over 40, these are both strong indicators that you may be suffering from presbyopia.

I’m too young to wear reading glasses so what are my options?

Reading glasses can impact on your lifestyle majorly as well as instantly adding years to your appearance, especially if you have never used corrective eyewear previously. So while you can’t avoid the eyes’ ageing process, what you can do is opt to join over 14,000 others across Northern Ireland who came to Optilase for a glasses-free, permanent solution to presbyopia.

The KAMRA inlay

Optilase clinics across Northern Ireland offer the KAMRA inlay, one of the most sophisticated procedures for restoring near vision in eyes over 40.  The KAMRA inlay is implanted into the cornea of your non-dominant eye using a hi-tech femtosecond laser. The inlay works by blocking out excess light that enters the eye, allowing the focus of the lens to become more accurate.

Do I need to replace the KAMRA inlay as my eyes continue to age?

No. The KAMRA inlay doesn’t require any adjustment with age meaning you won’t outgrow it or need to exchange it for an updated version in the future. The KAMRA inlay is a procedure that offers a long-term solution to presbyopia.

To find out more about the KAMRA inlay procedure only available in Northern Ireland at Optilase clinics, why not book your free consultation with our expert staff by calling 08000 121 565 or visit /kamra-treatment/