Presbyopia

man taking off glasses to read

Somewhere around the age of 40, most people’s eyes lose the ability to focus on close-up objects. This condition is called presbyopia. You may start holding reading material farther away, because it is blurry up close. Reading suddenly gives you eyestrain. You might wonder when manufacturers started putting such small print on everything. Symptoms of presbyopia may worsen if the light is dim, you are tired or you have been drinking alcohol.

Causes and Risk factors

Presbyopia is one of the common refraction-related vision disorders. The shape and condition of your cornea and lens affects refraction, or the way light bends as it enters your eye. With presbyopia, an age-hardened lens is no longer flexible enough to change shape to focus on nearer images. This causes light to focus behind your retina, causing near images to appear out of focus.

Some people notice this difficulty focusing on up-close objects when they are as young as 35, but the onset of presbyopia typically occurs as individuals enter their 40s. The condition can worsen until individuals are about 65 years old.

Nonsurgical Treatment for Presbyopia

For people who previously had good vision, the solution may be as simple as buying over-the-counter reading glasses. If you have a more complicated vision situation — such as being nearsighted while also developing presbyopia — you may need prescription bifocals. These allow you to read up-close text by looking through the lower portion of your eyeglass lenses as well as see far things clearly by looking through the upper portion of the lenses.

Contact lenses are an option for some patients. However, bifocal contact lenses are more difficult to fit than regular contact lenses. Monovision contacts are another choice. This means one of your contacts is used for distance while the other is used for close work. Successfully using monovision contacts can require time and practice.

Surgical Treatment for Presbyopia

Several types of surgery may also improve presbyopia. Most of these involve tiny lasers that are used to reshape the cornea. In another surgical procedure called refractive lens exchange (RLE), the ophthalmologist removes the lens in each eye, replacing them with synthetic lenses.

If you want to be able to enjoy reading again without headache or eyestrain, call our office so we can help you see your best.

Contact us to request an appointment today.

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Testimonials

  • We love supporting our local businesses. Dave Nelson is such an asset to our community. He took the extra time needed to be completely thorough with some issues I was having. I love that he looked at my complete health before coming to a conclusion for my needs. We love the customer service from beginning to end. I put complete trust in Lee Ann to pick out some frame choices for me, listening to my wants and needs. She delivered and I am so excited to get them next week. Thank you so much!

    ...
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  • I was extremely pleased with the complete and thorough eye examination I received. Dr. Nelson took a great deal of time explaining his findings so that I understood them. He then laid out a plan for us to follow for the future of my eye health.

    - D.D.
  • I'm impressed with all of the technology. Great service. Thank you!

    - J.O
  • This was the best experience I have had with an eye doctor. I felt like Dr. Nelson actually listened to how my eye sight was affecting my daily routine and properly diagnose my vision correction needs.

    - A.K.
  • I've been a patient of Dr. Nelson for many years and he is absolutely amazing. I am grateful that he uses state-of-the-art tools to measure changes in my eye health. His advice is spot on for caring for my eyes and his prices make it affordable to do so. I highly recommend you schedule your next appointment here

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  • Exam and discussion of the results were excellent. Dr. Nelson is kind, considerate, and open to any discussion about your eyes. The pictures from the exam were amazing and Dr. Nelson explained everything that was going on with the exam and pictures. Frame and lens selection are outstanding as is the work of the staff in helping to pick out what I wanted. And those sunglasses...oh my...I love them! Great work Dr. Nelson and staff!

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  • This was the most thorough exam I've ever had and I've had many. Dr. Nelson understood my challenges and I felt confident in his care. Great experience. Thank you

    - L.F.
  • Efficient and courteous service with a sense of belonging to a family. I have had to wear prescription lenses for most of my life. Never, has anyone ever taken the time to explain what happens to our eyes as we age, why and HOW we see floaters (and with the latest technology used in Dr. Nelson's office - to show you these things and so much more.) and other retinal issues if they exist. The latest technology used in Dr. Nelson's office is non-invasive and amazing to literally see the inside of y

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  • I've seen Dr. Nelson for many years for my eye care before he opened the new practice in Cottage Grove. I appreciate how very thorough he is and how he takes the time to explain any changes in my vision etc. He and his staff are always very kind and friendly and they go the extra mile to help! I liked that Cottage Grove Eye Care was really easy to find...and I like the space and the fact that they have a large selection of cool frames. Would highly recommend it. Nice to have someone you can trus

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  • I went to Cottage Grove Eye Care for the first time last year and purchased both glasses and contacts. This is the first year that I have consistently worn both the glasses and contacts and didn't experience any issues with either. I always feel much educated about my eye health when I leave in a way that I never was at other eye clinics

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  • Friendly, professional, very thorough.

    - T.S.

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