Page 10 - Envision-05-2022

An

UP-CLOSE LOOK at

PRESBYOPIA

Cover Story
By Evra Taylor,
in collaboration with Shirley Ha,
HBSc., OD, FCOVD

veryone develops presbyopia or age-related
farsightedness. It starts somewhere around
age 40 for emmetropes, the mid-to-late
30s for hyperopes and the mid-40s-plus
Efor myopes. It’s the classic ocular sign - the
first reminder of aging that a person experiences,
besides the crow’s feet they “see”. Almost overnight,
your arms aren’t long enough to hold the menu,
phone or book far enough away to see clearly. Other
symptoms include squinting, headaches, eyestrain
and fatigue, that accompany prolonged near
activities. The experience can be quite emotional
for some presbyopes and is often accompanied
by a period of denial, with many people feeling
depressed and frustrated with failing eyes that have
supported them for nearly four decades.

8 / MAY - JUNE 2022 / www.ENVISIONMAGAZINE.ca /