Does Everyone Need Glasses as They Age?

You may have never needed glasses before, but now you’re having trouble reading fine print on prescription drug bottles and books printed in a small font size. You need reading glasses. Eye experts say that most people in their 40s and 50s reach a point where reading glasses become a necessity. 

Our board-certified ophthalmologists with Wolchok Eye Associates, PA in Jacksonville, Florida are ready to help you make the adjustment to wearing glasses if you’ve never worn them before. We can also adjust your prescription if you only wore glasses for distance but now need them to read. 

Why do I need reading glasses?

Ophthalmologists say that just about everyone has some degree of vision loss by middle age, which makes it hard to see fine print that you’re trying to read. The condition is called presbyopia; it’s part of normal aging. 

The lens in your eyes change slowly, year after year. The aging process causes the lens to become stiff, changing shape and/or size. The distorted shape of the lens causes difficulty seeing fine print.

An eye exam determines treatment

Whenever you’re having vision problems, you’ll need to get a complete eye exam. Testing your visual acuity is only one of a number of tests we perform. We check your eye pressure to rule out disease such as glaucoma; your inner and outer eye for retinal or corneal diseases; your eye movement to determine alignment; and your pupils to determine response, among other issues as needed.

Are there options other than reading glasses to correct my vision? 

Yes. While reading glasses solve the vision problem for some, others find reading glasses to be burdensome; they don’t like to take them on and off or having them hanging around their neck.

You might be able to get contact lenses to help you see things at close range, if you’d like to try them; your doctor lets you know if you’re a candidate for contacts. 

You might also be a candidate for a surgical procedure called mono-vision using laser technology. We correct your dominant eye for distance and slightly undercorrect your other eye for near vision. This greatly reduces your need for any glasses. 

You’ll have a thorough pre-surgical exam to see if you feel comfortable adjusting to this type of procedure and to determine if you’re eligible. You can test mono-vision glasses or contact lenses for several days before deciding whether to proceed with the surgery.

Call Wolchok Eye Associates, PA or book an appointment online today if you’re having vision problems. We’ll correct your vision with glasses, contacts, or surgery so that you’ll be singing that refrain, “I can see clearly now.”