Fading vision
Everything looks dim and hazy. It progresses slowly, so it is easy to miss at first.
Presbyopia or cataract?
Same age, different problem in the lens
Presbyopia blurs what is close because the lens loses its flexibility. A cataract dims everything because the lens itself turns cloudy. Both start in the lens, but they are different conditions.
Because the two can feel alike, an eye exam is the only reliable way to know which one you have.
Presbyopia
Is it presbyopia?
Signs you may notice
- Books and newspapers drift farther from your face.
- Smartphone text is hard to make out.
- Reading brings on tired eyes or headaches.
- Your eyes feel dry and heavy.
- Everything gets harder in dim light.
- Reading glasses make the text sharp again.
Timing
When presbyopia starts
Presbyopia is an age-related loss of the eye’s focusing power. When it begins depends on your refractive status, but focusing ability generally starts to drop in the early 40s and has almost gone by the late 50s.
How it can be treated
- Without surgery: reading glasses, progressive multifocal glasses or contact lenses designed for presbyopia.
- With surgery: presbyopia LASIK or LASEK, or cataract surgery with a multifocal lens.
Compare
Normal, presbyopic, cataract
| Normal eye | Presbyopia | Cataract | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The lens | Contracts and relaxes as it should | Loses elasticity, so focusing weakens | Turns cloudy |
| What you see | Near objects are clear | Near objects blur | The whole view looks hazy |
Cataract
Six signs of a cataract
Cataracts come to everyone with age. They are found in about 70% of people in their 60s, 90% in their 70s and nearly everyone over 80.
Double images in one eye
Objects look doubled even with the other eye closed.
Glare
Sunlight, headlights and fluorescent lamps make you squint and feel irritated.
Colors shift
White things take on a yellow tint.
A brief near-vision gain
For a while you can read without reading glasses, but over time both near and far become difficult.
Worse in bright light
Vision drops in bright places, and you may see better at night than in daylight.
Everyday Clues
What these changes look like
Surgery
How cataract surgery works
The cloudy lens is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). Choosing that lens is an important decision, so the IOL guide is worth reading before your visit.
A small incision
An opening of 2.8 mm or less is made at the edge of the eye, and viscoelastic material protects the tissue in the front chamber.
Opening the capsule
The upper part of the lens capsule is removed to reach the cloudy lens.
Removing the lens
The cloudy lens is taken out of the capsule completely.
Reshaping the capsule
Viscoelastic material refills the capsule so the new lens can go in smoothly.
Placing the IOL
The intraocular lens is set inside the capsule.
Next Step
Before you book
Surgery is preceded by a detailed exam, described in cataract tests and diagnosis. Care afterwards is set out in the before-and-after guide. To have your eyes checked, get in touch.
FAQ
Common questions
At what age does presbyopia begin?
Focusing ability usually begins to fall in the early 40s and is nearly gone by the late 50s. The exact timing depends on your refractive status.
How do I know whether it is presbyopia or a cataract?
Presbyopia blurs near objects because the lens loses elasticity. A cataract makes everything hazy because the lens is cloudy. They are hard to separate yourself, so an eye exam is the way to know.
What are the main signs of a cataract?
Hazy vision, double images in one eye, glare, whites looking yellow, a short spell of reading without glasses, and seeing better at night than in bright light.
How large is the incision in cataract surgery?
2.8 mm or less, at the edge of the eye. The cloudy lens is removed and an intraocular lens is placed in the capsule.
