By your mid-forties, you may start to notice that reading small letters on your phone or computer seems a little bit blurrier than it once did or that it’s becoming harder to maintain focus for extended periods of time. As a result, you could find yourself holding your book or phone closer to you in order to read the text more clearly or squinting your eyes in an effort to maintain word focus. Everyone experiences these visual issues as a result of natural aging-related changes to their eyes. For that reason, it’s normal to wonder why reading gets more difficult with age, which is why we’ve covered it all in this blog for you.
What Affects Our Ability to Read as We Age?
One clear indicator of aging is a change in vision, particularly near vision. Once people reach their 40s, many individuals may discover that they find it difficult to concentrate on things that are near at hand. But what causes reading difficulties as we age? This eyesight disorder is caused by a number of different circumstances. Some of the typical eyesight changes with aging include:
Presbyopia
You may find it’s harder to concentrate on close-up items after you’ve reached the milestone age of 40. Presbyopia, a condition where the eye’s lens loses its capacity to alter shape, is the cause of this.
You may temporarily compensate for this progressive deterioration in your ability to concentrate by holding the reading material closer to your eyes. But ultimately, you’ll need multifocal contact lenses, progressive lenses, or reading glasses to fix the issue.
Presbyopia treatment options include conductive keratoplasty, monovision LASIK, corneal inlays, refractive lens exchange, and refractive surgery.
Presbyopia worsens as you age, especially as you hit your 50s and beyond. You could discover that your prescription for contacts or glasses has to be changed more often. Additionally, you could discover that one prescription is no longer the best option for all of your visual requirements.
For instance, you could need one pair of eyeglasses for everyday activities and another pair that focuses on intermediate ranges for computer work– all of which is unfortunately normal as you age.
Cataracts
Although this is a kind of age-related eye illness, cataracts are so frequent in older people that it is possible to classify it as an expected aspect of aging.
It’s estimated that half of all Americans 65 and older have some degree of cataract development in their eyes. The proportion increases as you approach your 70s.
Thankfully, cataract surgery is so successful and safe that it frequently restores all of the eyesight that was lost due to cataract development. Do not be afraid to share symptoms with your eye doctor if you are experiencing cataract-related changes in vision. It’s often preferable to get cataracts removed early on.
Additionally, you may attempt accommodating intraocular lenses or multifocal lens implants, which may be able to restore all visual ranges and lessen your need for reading glasses.
What To Do If Reading Becomes Difficult
Your eye doctor’s recommended reading glasses or contact lenses with a reading feature will help reduce the strain on your eyes caused by hazy reading vision and give you the clarity you need to read comfortably once again. It’s crucial to remember that these visual symptoms start in your mid-forties and continue to develop until they stabilize in your mid-sixties. In order to maintain comfortable reading vision as your eyes continue to evolve, your prescription for reading glasses or contact lenses should be changed every one to two years.
How To Manage Reading Difficulty as You Age
Presbyopia develops as you age, and unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to stop it. By the time you are 40, you should be getting regular eye examinations at least every two years to maintain your eyesight functioning at its optimum. Accepting choices for vision correction, such as glasses or contact lenses, would be beneficial for you in the long-run and are nothing to be ashamed of.
Some individuals manage their vision problems by working in bright light or by moving reading items out of their line of sight. While this will only be temporary, it can be effective while waiting for your eye check-up.
Depending on your lifestyle and professional requirements, buying glasses or contact lenses is one of the typical ways to control presbyopia.
At Millennium Laser Eye Centers in Florida, our specialists and eye doctors are here to assist you with any eye problems or concerns and to provide the best possible solution or therapy for your condition. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us today. Simply give us a call at the number (954) 835-0800 to schedule an appointment. We are always here to support and assist you in coping with and managing your eyesight.
