The Use of Contact Lenses for People with Presbyopia

When a patient is having trouble focusing on nearby objects, then perhaps this person is suffering from presbyopia. It is an eye condition that affects the eye’s natural ability to focus on an object.

The lenses become rather inflexible and this is common in people who are above 40 years old. In America, about 90 million adults suffer from presbyopia and every day, more and more cases have been reported.

A person suffering from it will have the following symptoms:
1. headaches
2. difficulty in reading
3. difficulty in seeing, especially in the dark

In the past, if you have problems with your eyesight the only remedy you can consider is to wear reading glasses. Some eyeglass wearers prefer bi-focal eyeglasses but nowadays, most people prefer contact lenses to be able to see. Contact lenses have become rather popular because not only is it easier to use, it is also more fashionable and more practical in sports activities and exercising.

Many corrective lenses have become available now. They are available in many different kinds and since it came out in the market, more and more people prefer contact lenses from eyeglasses.
How can contact lenses correct presbyopia?

Contact lenses can correct presbyopia in three different ways; and while each of these types can successfully correct vision problems, they all have their own share of advantages and disadvantages for the wearer:

1. Monovision Lenses
- This involves the use of lenses only for a single eye to be able to see either near or far objects. These types of lenses are well accepted by many people but it can sometimes cause a patient to lose the depth in vision.

- Monovision lenses are effective because it relies on the brain’s ability to utilize the best possible source to be able to translate an image as a clear vision.


2. Bi-focal Contact Lenses
- Just like normal bi-focal eyeglasses, a single contact lens is capable of seeing nearby objects as well as far away objects. A disadvantage to wearing these types of lenses would be reduced light perception as well as sharpness, so the objects may not look as clear.

a. Translating Bi-focal Lenses
These lenses are also called “Alternating Lenses” and they are the gas-permeable type of lenses. It functions much like the bi-focal lenses; there will be two zones and each will correspond to seeing nearby or far away objects, depending on the need.


b. Simultaneous Bi-focal Lenses
Most soft bi-focal lenses are of this type. When a person wears simultaneous bi-focal lenses, a person is actually looking through lenses of varying power at the same time but only the power that is required by the eye will be utilized.

Regardless of which type of contact lenses you believe is best for you, what is important is that you are able to perform all of your normal activities without any hindrances caused by poor eyesight.

It should always be remembered, however, that while the use of contact lenses can allow you to see objects, whether near or far, it is never going to correct any eye condition that you may have.