When we are children, we want to be older. When we are adults, we want to stay young. However, each stage of life is unique and this is what makes life exciting and wonderful. The 40s are one of those stages. The 40s are a unique time in the life cycle of the eye. You may notice that you can not read as close as you could in the past. You may also feel a strain as you read and get headaches. During this time the eye goes through a process called presbyopia.
Presbyopia literally means “old man eyes” in Greek. The muscles and the lens in the eye change. The muscles get weaker and the lens gets stiffer. We focus from far to near and near to far by using muscles in the eye to change the shape of the lens in the eye. When the lens is soft and elastic like rubber it is easy to focus back and forth but when the lens is stiff like leather it is more difficult to change its shape and focus up close. This is perfectly normal. So, this is just a stage of life that we all go through. But there are many solutions to help you maintain your same lifestyle. Talk to your eye doctor to find what works best for you.
