For Those Dealing with Presbyopia, Daily Progressive Lenses May Be the Way to Go

As we age, so do our eyes. Young eyes can easily focus on items both in the distance and nearby. Over the years, however, the lens of the eye thickens and slowly loses its flexibility. This leads to a gradual decline in the eye's ability to focus on objects that are close up. This loss of focusing ability is called presbyopia.

Presbyopia is a condition, not a disease. It is a normal and expected change, which ultimately affects most people as they age. Many first begin to notice presbyopia in their 40s, experiencing symptoms that include the decreased ability to focus on near objects, eyestrain and headaches. One of the most obvious symptoms of presbyopia is having to hold reading material at arm's length in order to read it.

What can be done? If you have presbyopia, your eyecare professional will likely recommend bifocal correction. Your options include reading glasses and Daily Progressive Lenses.

What are daily progressive lenses?

If you'd prefer contact lenses, daily progressive lenses might be right for you. Daily progressive lenses are discarded nightly, offering convenience because there is no cleaning necessary. In addition, the more frequently you replace your contact lenses, the healthier your eyes will be. Protein, calcium and lipids all form naturally in the eye and can build up on lenses. Discarding the lenses daily can help prevent eye irritation and infection.

Progressive contact lenses come of age

Standard progressive lenses offer wearers near, intermediate and distance vision correction without the unsightly "lines," called segments, seen on reading glasses. While Daily Progressive Lenses are often touted as more convenient than glasses, design problems in early progressive lenses resulted in several problems. Wearers experienced distortion in peripheral vision and often had difficulty when making the transition from distance to near vision. In addition, the reading area of the lens was narrow. For many wearers of progressive lenses, headaches and even dizziness resulted.

Times have changed, however, and so have progressive lenses. Today's new progressive designs allow for a smooth transition between distance segments. They also offer a wider near-vision segment for close-up vision. The improvements result in better overall vision, improved peripheral vision and reduced headaches and dizziness for wearers.

Are daily progressive lenses right for you?

Daily progressive lenses are available with a prescription from your eyecare professional. With your prescription in hand, you can buy your daily progressive lenses from your eyecare professional, local pharmacy or online. Some online companies offer free shipping on orders, so if they carry your prescription, they might be worth checking out. To learn more about presbyopia and daily progressive lenses, talk to you eyecare professional.

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