What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is the condition where the crystalline lens of the
human eye looses its flexibility. This normally occurs at the
age of about 40 years.
What is the cause?
The lens in the human eye continues to grow and it produces
more and more cells which will eventually result in the lens
loosing its focusing ability. This was found to be the case
by an American Ophthalmologist Dr R Schachar in 1994. The eye
stops to grow in our teens but the lens continues to grow.
Presbyopia cannot be prevented. In farsighted people the loss
of accommodation can occur at an even earlier age as these individuals
have a greater need to accommodate. In myopic (shortsighted)
people the eye can normally focus for near. When Presbyopia
occurs they can normally read without spectacles depending on
the degree of the myopia.
After Excimer Laser Vision correction or Phacic Lens Implantation
patients would normally require spectacles to read. By a comprehensive
examination by an Ophthalmologist we can determine the extent
of the Presbyopia.
Correction of Presbyopia
This is mainly done by wearing close vision spectacles. However,
Presbyopia can also be corrected by a surgical procedure developed
by Dr Schacher whereby four tiny implants are inserted into
the sclera (white) of the eye in small tunnels. The operation
is done on the outside of the eye. This procedure allows the
ciliary muscles to stretch and thus have an affect on the shape
of the human lens. There is progressive improvement of the Presbyopia
within three months. The ability to accommodate improves to
that of a young adult.
The procedure is done under a local or general anesthetic in
a sterile theatre environment.