{"id":2418,"date":"2026-05-16T14:44:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T14:44:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=2418"},"modified":"2026-05-16T14:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T14:44:23","slug":"what-is-presbyopia-healthywomen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=2418","title":{"rendered":"What is Presbyopia? &#8211; HealthyWomen"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><em><em>May is <\/em><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nei.nih.gov\/about\/education-and-outreach\/healthy-vision-resources\/healthy-vision-month\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em><em>Healthy Vision month<\/em><\/em><\/a><em><em>.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re holding your smartphone at arm\u2019s length to read the screen \u2014 not to take a selfie \u2014 you could have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.aao.org\/eye-health\/diseases\/what-is-presbyopia\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">presbyopia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Presbyopia is when your eyes lose the ability to focus on objects that are close-up. That sounds scary, but presbyopia is a natural part of aging and it happens to everyone.<\/p>\n<p>Over time, the lens of your eyes hardens and becomes less flexible, which makes it more difficult for your lens to change shape in order to focus on objects that are close \u2014 think reading a book or looking at your watch.<\/p>\n<p>In our recent survey, we asked women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/your-health\/womens-eye-health-101\" target=\"_self\">eye health<\/a> and their experience with presbyopia. Overall, prescription glasses were the go-to to help with symptoms of presbyopia (65%).<\/p>\n<p>A few creative ways that participants said they adjusted to symptoms of presbyopia included:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ee-ul\">\n<li>Holding items at arms length<\/li>\n<li>Borrowing reading glasses<\/li>\n<li>Making fonts larger<\/li>\n<li>Using a magnifying glass<\/li>\n<li>Zooming in on pictures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image\"> <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"poll on using aid to see something\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"913bda5e2c1a2a3a39e047ecf6d49147\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/media-library\/poll-on-using-aid-to-see-something.png?id=65581457&amp;width=980\" height=\"455\" id=\"07cb1\" lazy-loadable=\"true\" width=\"800\"\/> <\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s more information on presbyopia, treatments for presbyopia and our survey results.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/your-health\/womens-eye-health-101\" target=\"_self\"><em><em>Read: Women\u2019s Eye Health 101 &gt;&gt;<\/em><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem1\" data-id=\"1\" data-reload-ads=\"false\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/risk-factors-for-presbyopia\" data-basename=\"risk-factors-for-presbyopia\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<h3 data-role=\"headline\"><strong>Risk factors for presbyopia<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Age is the top risk factor for presbyopia. Most people start to see symptoms \u2014 blurred vision, headaches, eyestrain, inability to read close-up \u2014 in their 40s.<\/p>\n<p>In our survey, nearly 9 out of 10 people were aware that age has a negative effect on eyesight. But participants who were diagnosed with presbyopia were significantly more likely to believe eyesight gets worse with age compared to participants who haven\u2019t been diagnosed with presbyopia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem2\" data-id=\"2\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"True\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/particle-2\" data-basename=\"particle-2\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"b5fa0\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"757c400adfca26023608b9417acb6147\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/media-library\/poll-on-if-you-think-sight-gets-worse-with-aging.png?id=65581462&amp;width=980\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" alt=\"poll on if you think sight gets worse with aging\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Although presbyopia happens to pretty much everyone, risk factors for premature presbyopia can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nei.nih.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/health-pdfs\/Farsightedness.pdf\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">farsighted<\/a> (the inability to see things that are near to the eyes)<\/li>\n<li>Having specific health conditions such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/diabetes-101\">diabetes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/fast-facts-cardiovascular-disease\">cardiovascular disease<\/a> and multiple sclerosis<\/li>\n<li>Taking certain medications such as antidepressants, diuretics and antihistamines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        faq&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1 rebellt-question\" id=\"rebelltitem3\" data-id=\"3\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/how-to-diagnose-presbyopia\" data-basename=\"how-to-diagnose-presbyopia\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<h3 data-role=\"headline\"><strong>How to diagnose presbyopia<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Presbyopia is diagnosed during a routine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/your-health\/importance-of-an-eye-exam\" target=\"_self\">eye exam<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Your healthcare provider (HCP) will give you a few different tests to check your vision.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Visual acuity test (the big letters on a wall chart) to check your eyesight<\/li>\n<li>Refraction test for prescription lenses<\/li>\n<li>Slit lamp exam to check the structure of the eyes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Per our survey, most participants \u2014 7 out of 10 \u2014 get a regular eye exam.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem4\" data-id=\"4\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"True\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/particle-4\" data-basename=\"particle-4\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"5e043\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"921b97745ee0876795a8fd1179c32756\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/media-library\/graph-on-the-if-you-get-a-regular-eye-exam.png?id=65581520&amp;width=980\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" alt=\"graph on the if you get a regular eye exam\"\/><\/p>\n<p>And most people \u2014 also 7 out of 10 \u2014 would see an HCP if they were having symptoms of presbyopia, which is crucial for catching changes in eye health.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem5\" data-id=\"5\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"True\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/particle-5\" data-basename=\"particle-5\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"6540a\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"2f8789e4154eb3f67e4c7c77783632ce\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/media-library\/graph-of-poll-on-who-would-go-to-the-eye-doc-for-a-perscription.png?id=65581547&amp;width=980\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" alt=\"graph of poll on who would go to the eye doc for a perscription\"\/><\/p>\n<p>While only a few people surveyed had been diagnosed with presbyopia, it\u2019s crucial to talk to your HCP if you notice any vision changes \u2014 however small \u2014 and get regular eye exams to catch any problems early when they are easier to treat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem6\" data-id=\"6\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"True\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/particle-6\" data-basename=\"particle-6\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"36f6c\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"f7acfadae0e935a14f74f3ddc0056b88\" data-rm-shortcode-name=\"rebelmouse-image\" class=\"rm-shortcode rm-lazyloadable-image \" lazy-loadable=\"true\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/media-library\/graph-of-how-many-people-have-a-formal-diagnosis-of-presbyopia.png?id=65581579&amp;width=980\" width=\"800\" height=\"448\" alt=\"graph of how many people have a formal diagnosis of presbyopia\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        faq&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1 rebellt-question\" id=\"rebelltitem7\" data-id=\"7\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/treatments-for-presbyopia\" data-basename=\"treatments-for-presbyopia\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<h3 data-role=\"headline\"><strong>Treatments for presbyopia<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Presbyopia happens with age \u2014 so we can\u2019t put the genie back in the bottle. But there are treatment options that can help you see clearly.<\/p>\n<p>Treatments for presbyopia include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Glasses (with or without prescription)<\/li>\n<li>Contact lenses<\/li>\n<li>Surgery<\/li>\n<li>Prescription eye drops<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Survey participants living with presbyopia were more likely to get prescription reading glasses (62%) than people who were not diagnosed with presbyopia (34%).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem8\" data-id=\"8\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\/eye-exams-are-a-clear-winner\" data-basename=\"eye-exams-are-a-clear-winner\" data-post-id=\"2676792977\" data-published-at=\"1776784998\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<h3 data-role=\"headline\"><strong>Eye exams are a clear winner<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Without treatment, presbyopia can cause headaches, eye strain and overall lower quality of life. So, if you\u2019re in your 40s, get your eyes checked and save the arm extensions for taking selfies in your new glasses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em><em>This educational resource was created with support from Viatris, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"around-the-web\">\n<p>From Your Site Articles<\/p>\n<p>Related Articles Around the Web<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthywomen.org\/condition\/what-is-presbyopia\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>May is Healthy Vision month. If you\u2019re holding your smartphone at arm\u2019s length to read the screen \u2014 not to take a selfie \u2014 you could have presbyopia. Presbyopia is when your eyes lose the ability to focus on objects that are close-up. That sounds scary, but presbyopia is a natural part of aging and it happens to everyone. Over time, the lens of your eyes hardens and becomes less flexible, which makes it more difficult for your lens to change shape in order to focus on objects that are close \u2014 think reading a book or looking at your watch. In our recent survey, we asked women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) about eye health and their experience with presbyopia. Overall, prescription glasses were the go-to to help with symptoms of presbyopia (65%). A few creative ways that participants said they adjusted to symptoms of presbyopia included: Holding items at arms length Borrowing reading glasses Making fonts larger Using a magnifying glass Zooming in on pictures Here\u2019s more information on presbyopia, treatments for presbyopia and our survey results. Read: Women\u2019s Eye Health 101 &gt;&gt; Risk factors for presbyopia Age is the top risk factor for presbyopia. Most people start to see symptoms \u2014 blurred vision, headaches, eyestrain, inability to read close-up \u2014 in their 40s. In our survey, nearly 9 out of 10 people were aware that age has a negative effect on eyesight. But participants who were diagnosed with presbyopia were significantly more likely to believe eyesight gets worse with age compared to participants who haven\u2019t been diagnosed with presbyopia. Although presbyopia happens to pretty much everyone, risk factors for premature presbyopia can include: Being farsighted (the inability to see things that are near to the eyes) Having specific health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis Taking certain medications such as antidepressants, diuretics and antihistamines How to diagnose presbyopia Presbyopia is diagnosed during a routine eye exam. Your healthcare provider (HCP) will give you a few different tests to check your vision. Visual acuity test (the big letters on a wall chart) to check your eyesight Refraction test for prescription lenses Slit lamp exam to check the structure of the eyes Per our survey, most participants \u2014 7 out of 10 \u2014 get a regular eye exam. And most people \u2014 also 7 out of 10 \u2014 would see an HCP if they were having symptoms of presbyopia, which is crucial for catching changes in eye health. While only a few people surveyed had been diagnosed with presbyopia, it\u2019s crucial to talk to your HCP if you notice any vision changes \u2014 however small \u2014 and get regular eye exams to catch any problems early when they are easier to treat. Treatments for presbyopia Presbyopia happens with age \u2014 so we can\u2019t put the genie back in the bottle. But there are treatment options that can help you see clearly. Treatments for presbyopia include: Glasses (with or without prescription) Contact lenses Surgery Prescription eye drops Survey participants living with presbyopia were more likely to get prescription reading glasses (62%) than people who were not diagnosed with presbyopia (34%). Eye exams are a clear winner Without treatment, presbyopia can cause headaches, eye strain and overall lower quality of life. So, if you\u2019re in your 40s, get your eyes checked and save the arm extensions for taking selfies in your new glasses. This educational resource was created with support from Viatris, a HealthyWomen Corporate Advisory Council member. From Your Site Articles Related Articles Around the Web Source link<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2418","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2418"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2418\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}