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"Hey, Dr.
Sibley, - my arms are getting too short
and I can't read any more. W hat
can I do?"
As an
ophthalmologist, I hear this question 200
times a
year.
The truth is, I seem to be having the same
problem now as my patients. What
will I tell my patients to use for
reading? What will I use for my own
reading?
The problem
that people over 40 are having is a
natural loss of their ability to focus
up-close and read. I love to call this
"old-sightedness." As we get older we
lose our ability to focus up-close as part
of the normal aging process. This
focusing strength must be added back to
allow us to read clearly at these close
distances as we did before. The glasses
we use are either reading glasses or
bifocals. Our parents went through this,
and their parents went through this, and
so on. This natural loss of ability to
focus up close is called presbyopia.
Presbyopia is not considered an eye
disease or even a refractive error like
nearsightedness, farsightedness, or
astigmatism. It is just a universal side
effect of aging and not associated with
any ocular disease of the eye.
If the eyes
are healthy otherwise, and if you have
good regular vision, then reading glasses
are the answer. In fact, if near vision
is restored by reading glasses, there is
usually no reason to suspect any
underlying eye disease.
So the answer
to the question about "what a 40 year old
should do to read again" may be as simple
as recommending $10 reading glasses.
Ready-to-wear
reading glasses are non-prescription
magnifying glasses. They can be purchased
over the counter. They are available at
grocery stores or drug stores (or even
flea markets) with magnifying plus power
lenses in a wide variety of styles and
optical powers/strengths. These
over-the-counter reading glasses are
available for self-selection and often
cost from $5 to $25. This is in contrast
to the $100 for comparable reading glasses
made at the eye doctor or optician's
office for reading.
Studies have
shown that almost 100 percent of people
over 40 will eventually need reading
glasses, and most will have at least one
pair of ready-to-wear/over-the-counter
reading glasses at home.
Further
scientific studies have now shown there is
almost no significant difference between
the $10 over-the-counter reading glasses
and the $110 prescription-ground reading
glasses from the eye doctor/optician's
office.
But if the
patient has any significant refractive
error (nearsightedness, farsightedness,
astigmatism or unequal difference between
the two eyes) these ready-to-wear glasses
from the store will not provide acceptable
near vision. These ready-to-wear glasses
have been proven safe and can not damage
the eye physically, even if they are not a
person's optimal strength or even if they
are used incorrectly. About the worst
thing would be "eye strain," but this
would not be damaging to the eyes and is
relieved and "cured" by discontinuing
these glasses.
As an
ophthalmologist, I must admit that
ready-to-wear glasses can be effective,
safe and very economical. Self-selection
of these over-the-counter reading glasses
would appear to be medically acceptable,
cost effective and probably the best
overall interest of the public who would
benefit from their remaining available. |
