Why you need glasses as you age

Dr Ayodeji Adu, Consultant Opthalmologist, Rachel Eye Centre, Abuja explains this further. “The ability of the eyes to see is different from individual to individual. And if you cannot see well, the smartest and cheapest way to correct that is to wear glasses and there is no age limit. Children can wear glasses, adults can […]

Dr Ayodeji Adu, Consultant Opthalmologist, Rachel Eye Centre, Abuja explains this further. “The ability of the eyes to see is different from individual to individual. And if you cannot see well, the smartest and cheapest way to correct that is to wear glasses and there is no age limit. Children can wear glasses, adults can wear glasses too. There is no age distribution but when someone gets to the age of40-45, the body is not as flexible as it used to be. So the ability to focus will be limited. It will require more energy to focus.    This leads to straining. That is why it’s more common for the elderly to read with glasses.  But there is no age limit. A baby can wear glasses.”

As you age, doctors explain, the muscles of the eye become less flexible, and have a harder time focusing on objects that are close. You may need more light to see. You may have a harder time differentiating shades of blue and green. These are all indications of a condition called presbyopia. This condition is completely natural, and happens to most people. Think of it as just another stage in your eye development.

It’s easy to get frustrated when you can’t see like you used to. This happens to many people over the age of forty, and reading glasses are often needed to correct the problem. Reading glasses provide extra assistance to focus on small objects at close distance, like words on a page or needlework. Reading glasses are not to be confused for regular eyeglasses that are needed in order to drive, watch television, and perform other everyday tasks.

Struggling to read without needed glasses can cause the eyes to become strained and vision to deteriorate. Wearing reading glasses can minimize potential issues.

How do you know when you need reading glasses? Experts say, if you can answer YES to more than one or two of the following questions, you may need to see an eye doctor to have your eyes checked out.

•  Do you get headaches or sore eyes while reading for more than a few minutes?

•  Could you thread a needle if you had to?

•  Do you squint when trying to read a magazine or book?

•  Do you hold books at arm’s-length to read?

•  Do you squint at the words on the television set?

•  Do you find yourself having to (or wanting to) push your computer monitor back in order to see it better?

•  Have you reached your fortieth birthday?

These are just a few of the questions that your doctor may ask you if you express an interest in reading glasses. Not everyone over the age of 40 needs reading glasses, but those who do are most often diagnosed with Presbyopia. Presbyopiais not a disease, but a natural condition that results from the natural aging process of the body, including the eyes. It is not painful and happens gradually, over a long period of time.