Struggling to see the menu at that favourite restaurant? Sure you could see it just a few years ago?

It can be quite frustrating when trying to read the back of a medicine bottle or the menu in a dim lit restaurant and you just can’t decipher the exact lettering. Im sure just a few years back this used to be an easy feat. Have they shrunk the text? Is it the lighting that is terrible? Or am I getting old?! A lot of patients come in complaining of being unable to see close up. Presbyopia is the term used for when the muscles in our eyes that are used to focus on close tasks like reading, start to tire. They’re just exhausted! This process usually starts to happen around the big 4-0 mark and we soon start trying on our parents reading glasses to help…or in some cases, stretching our arms out as far as possible to see just that little bit better.  

So whats the solution?

1.       Stretch your arms out as far as you can – I wouldn’t recommend this one. There will be a point where your arms are just not long enough to get the best clarity. Not to mention I’m pretty sure its not socially accepted to be walking around arms outstretched.

2.       See your Optician - I would highly recommend this. An Optometrist will take a full history and lifestyle check to appropriately prescribe the correct prescription and type of lens best suited for you to help with ease and comfort of close-up tasks. This could be in the form of glasses or contact lenses.

3.       Multifocal Intra-ocular lens - Ophthalmologists are able to perform a surgery to remove the natural eye lens and replace it with a focusing lens which would correct both far and near prescriptions in one go. I would definitely recommend thinking about this if you are being listed anyway for a cataract surgery.  

4.       Good lighting. Naturally a good light source with good contrasting text will help you to see better. Unfortunately, this is still a limited solution.