Having trouble focusing? This might be the reason why

In your 40s and dealing with blurry vision? You could have a common eye condition called presbyopia. Here’s what to know.

Do you find yourself squinting at your computer monitor? Can’t read ingredients lists at the grocery store? Hold books out at arm’s length to make the words easier to read?

If you’re in your mid-40s or older, you might have a common eye condition called presbyopia. In fact, it’s so common that 90% of adults over age 45 in the United States have this condition that affects their near vision.

What is presbyopia, how does it affect your eyesight, and what can you do about it? Find out below.

Have vision issues you want to ask a doctor about? Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about supplemental vision plans, or browse your options online today.

What is presbyopia?

The condition happens when your eyes gradually lose their ability to focus on nearby objects. “It’s a natural sign of an aging eye,” says Jovi Boparai, MD, an ophthalmic surgeon based in Princeton, New Jersey, and CEO of CorneaCare. “It does progressively get worse.”

The most common symptom is blurry vision at a normal reading distance. At first, this may happen only from time to time, says Dr. Boparai. You may also find yourself squinting and experience eye fatigue with headaches when doing close-up work.

Over time, the lenses in your eyes become less flexible, which affects your ability to shift your focus from faraway objects to closer ones. It’s a normal process that typically becomes noticeable when you’re 45 to 55, Dr. Boparai says.

“If a patient doesn’t know about it, it can be a little alarming,” especially if you’ve never worn glasses, he says. It’s among the most common vision problems adults develop between ages 41 and 60.

What are the risk factors for presbyopia?

The main risk factors for the eye condition include:

• Age. By far, the biggest risk factor is how old you are.
• Medical conditions. Certain conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis, may raise your risk of developing the condition, including at a younger age.
• Medications. Certain medications, such as antidepressants, antihistamines and diuretics, may increase the risk that you will develop presbyopia at a younger age. (Antihistamines help treat allergies, while diuretics help flush the body of excess fluid and salt by making the kidneys produce more urine.)

What are my treatment options?

If an eye doctor diagnoses you with presbyopia, the most common solution is getting either glasses or contact lenses. They’ll help correct your vision. Treatment options include:

1. Reading glasses. Over-the-counter (OTC) reading glasses magnify nearby objects like text in a book. They come in different strengths that allow you to see close-up if you have the condition. “Over-the-counter reading glasses can sometimes solve the problem,” says Dr. Boparai. “Go to your local drugstore, pick up a magazine and try out a few different strengths. Find the strength that allows you to read most comfortably. You don’t want it to be too weak where it’s blurry. You don’t want it to be too strong where it’s causing you strain. You want it to be just right.”

2. Prescription glasses. These come in several different types. They include:

• Near vision glasses. Depending on your vision, prescription reading glasses may work better for you than the OTC options.
• Bifocals. If you need to correct for both distance and near vision, you might opt for bifocals. The distance correction is on the top of the lenses, and the near correction is at the bottom.
• Progressive addition lenses (PALs). Like bifocals, progressives correct for both distance and near vision. However, they use newer technology that more gradually shifts from distance to near correction, which results in correcting intermediate distance vision as well.
• Computer glasses. Prescription glasses can be customized to make it easier for you to work on a screen, such as a computer monitor that’s farther away than reading distance.

3. Contact lenses. Contacts come in a few different types that might work for you with this condition. They include:

• Multifocal contact lenses. These correct for both distance and near vision.
• Monovision contact lenses. One contact lens corrects for distance vision. The other corrects for near vision. If successful, the brain learns to use one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision.

4. Surgery. You may want to consider a surgical procedure to correct this condition. You have a few options:

• Monovision LASIK surgery. This is a type of laser surgery that changes the shape of the cornea, which is the outermost part of the eye. (LASIK stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis.) The eye surgeon will correct one eye for distance vision while correcting the other for near vision.

Because not everyone’s brain can adapt to using one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision, your eye doctor may give you monovision contact lenses to test if you may be a candidate for this type of surgery.

“You do want to do a contact lens trial, where you set one eye to see clearly for distance, and typically the nondominant eye to see up-close, [then] see how they handle the difference,” says Dr. Boparai. “The two eyes are going to be seeing differently.”

• Refractive lens exchange. The eye surgeon will replace the eye’s natural lens with an intraocular lens (an implant in the eye). It can then correct for near vision, or for near and far vision with a multifocal implant.

5. Eye drops. Researchers are working to develop eye drops to treat this condition as well. For example, a newer prescription eye drop constricts the size of the pupil temporarily to improve near vision. As a result, you can focus on near work without wearing glasses or contacts.

“There are new treatments on the horizon that may delay the onset of presbyopia or slow down the progression,” says Dr. Boparai. “So there are some treatments that we might have access to in the future.”

Another way to treat your vision is to see an eye doctor. Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about vision plans, or browse your options online today.

How do I take care of my vision health?

If you don’t have vision insurance as part of your regular employer plan, it’s a good idea to get it. You can buy a standalone plan or bundle it with other types of insurance, like dental.

Once you have vision insurance, if you’re having trouble with near vision or having any other eye symptoms, a good next step is booking an appointment with an eye doctor, says Dr. Boparai. If they find that you have presbyopia, for example, getting treatment will make it easier to see objects up close.

An eye doctor will screen you for vision changes during an eye exam. The American Optometric Association recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 with no vision symptoms and a low risk for vision problems have a comprehensive eye exam at least once every 2 years.

If you are at higher risk for vision problems — for example, you have a family history of eye disease — your doctor may recommend having an annual vision exam. Once you reach age 65, the recommendation is that you have an annual vision exam, even if you’re at a lower risk.

How much does presbyopia treatment cost with vision insurance?

Vision insurance for presbyopia treatments will vary by plan. If you have vision insurance, preventive care, like routine eye exams and vision correction services, like glasses and contacts, will be covered.

For example, your benefits may cover a certain amount for eyeglass frames every 2 years but pay for new prescription eyeglass lenses every year. Your plan may cover bifocals at a different rate.

It’s worth noting that most vision plans don’t cover surgical procedures such as LASIK surgery or refractive lens exchange. But your plan may include access to discounted in-network providers, which may save you money.

This means you might pay a predetermined amount for surgery, which reflects a discount, such as a certain percentage off the standard rate. You’ll want to check with your insurance provider for more information about discounts.

Need help finding the right vision plan for you? Call a licensed insurance agent at (800) 827-9990 to talk about available plans, or browse your options online today.

Disclaimer:
For informational purposes only. This information is compiled by HealthMarkets Insurance Agency and does not diagnose problems or recommend specific treatment. Services and medical technologies referenced herein may not be covered under your plan. Please consult directly with your primary care physician if you need medical advice.