Presbyopia Surgery

The best treatment for presbyopia will depend on your unique eyes and may include eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. If you are tired of reaching for your reading glasses, Elmquist Eye Group can help you explore your other options.

Elmquist Eye Group has proudly provided first class eye care in Fort Myers, Cape Coral and all of Southwest Florida since 1992. State-of-the-art technology, specialized equipment, and a skilled team of doctors allow us to provide you with an unsurpassed level of care.

E. Trevor Elmquist, DO, is board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He specializes in general ophthalmology and cataract surgery, and has been selected as one of America’s Top Doctors. His partner, Kate Wagner, OD, and associate, Nina Burt, OD, are board certified optometrists. With a calm reassuring manner, Dr. Elmquist, Dr. Wagner and Dr. Burt share their knowledge and expertise with patients of all ages. 

What is Presbyopia?

If you’re over the age of 40 and need to move your book or newspaper farther away to read it, you are most likely experiencing presbyopia. Left uncorrected, it can cause headaches and eye fatigue.

Presbyopia, which causes our eyes to lose their ability to focus up close, is a natural part of the aging process. In fact, the Greek meaning of the word “presbyopia” is “old age.” It cannot be stopped or reversed with medication, vitamins or exercises.

What Causes Presbyopia?

The lens in young eyes is soft and flexible. It’s able to change shape easily so that we can focus on objects both near and far.

After the age of 40, the lens becomes harder, less elastic, and less able to change shape. This makes it more difficult for us to read, see the time on our watches, shave in the mirror, read a restaurant menu, and focus on close objects.

The most common treatment for presbyopia is reading glasses or contact lenses. If you have no other vision problems, prescription lenses are available for reading only. People who do not wish to wear eyeglasses often opt for contact lenses to correct presbyopia.

Presbyopia Treatment

A number of surgical corrections for presbyopia are currently undergoing clinical trials for FDA approval. Some people opt for surgery which changes the shape of the cornea, correcting one eye for distance vision and the other for near vision. It does not, however, eliminate presbyopia, and the effects are typically not long-lasting.

Bifocal eyeglasses and contact lenses are available with two prescriptive powers for distance and near vision. Multifocal contact lenses are also available which allow the eye to focus clearly on objects at near, intermediate, and far distances.

Monovision is another contact lens option for the correction of presbyopia. One contact lens is prescribed for near vision and the other contact lens for distance. It may take time for the brain to adjust to monovision, and some patients never get used to the imbalance between the two eyes.

Many contact lenses wearers with presbyopia opt for a distance lens in both eyes, and then wear reading glasses for close-up work.

Elmquist Eye Group would be delighted to help you understand the presbyopia treatment options, including surgery. We are well-known in Fort Myers and Cape Coral for having the best eye doctors in the region. Call us today at (239) 936-2020 to schedule an appointment.