Presbyopia

The natural lens, which is the flexible element of focus in the eye, enables most young people to see clearly in the distance and up close. Flexibility of the natural lens diminishes with age, and by the mid-forties, even people who have never previously needed spectacles start to need reading glasses.

This age-related loss of reading vision is called ‘presbyopia.’

It is generally possible to correct presbyopia with reading glasses, which you can buy off the shelf in most pharmacies, opticians and larger supermarkets. 

People who also have myopia often find that bifocal or varifocal glasses are the solution once they develop presbyopia too.  These are available from high street optician outlets. 

A variety of surgical solutions is also available to reduce or fully correct the need for spectacles for patients of any age.  These are not usually available on the NHS, but Moorfields Private offers a full range of specialised laser eye surgery and multifocal lens implant techniques designed for patients in the reading glasses age group.

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