Presbyopia, more commonly known as tired eyes, is the natural aging process of a part of the eye called the lens. Symptoms consist of difficulty focusing closely and begin to worsen around the age of 45, more so in men than in women. Ophthalmologist Humberto Carreras is radical in his approach to this eye condition and believes that presbyopia affects "100% of the population, starting at age 40 or 45," regardless of gender or race.
The specialist explains that the progressive weakening of the muscle that accommodates the lens for focusing is not a pathological issue but a physiological phenomenon from which "no one escapes" because it occurs with the passing of the years, through which vision is lost, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity decrease and sensitivity to glare increases (in fact, the average recovery time from glare almost doubles in those over 65 years of age, reaching equal to or greater than one minute).
Starting at age 40 (when the first changes in vision may begin), regular eye exams are recommended. If you have symptoms or a family history of eye conditions, diabetes, or high blood pressure, you should consult an ophthalmologist to determine how often your vision should be examined. Researchers have found that individuals who consume a diet high in vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, and omega-3 fatty acids are less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration.
COMMON CONDITIONS
• Farsightedness Farsightedness is a condition in which light rays focus behind the retina, whereas in a normal eye, light rays converge precisely on it. Farsighted individuals have difficulty seeing objects at close range, while they can see more clearly at long distances.
• Myopia occurs when the eye is slightly longer than average, causing light rays to focus on the front of the retina instead of its surface, as is normal. This is why nearsighted people experience blurred vision of distant objects and eye strain.
• Color blindness, more common in men, is a vision defect that does not allow one to distinguish colors and is associated with a genetic defect of the retina, or of the ocular nerves.
• Astigmatism, which is usually hereditary, is characterized by a problem in the curvature of the cornea, which results in blurred and distorted vision of near and far objects.
ALWAYS TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Optics and ophthalmology specialists agree on a series of useful tips to ensure our vision is always in top condition.
• Children should have their first eye exam between the ages of 3 and 5, as it is at this age that what is known as lazy eye, or amblyopia, can be detected and corrected early.
• From the age of 15, check-ups should be carried out every 24 months.
• The prescription should always be done by the ophthalmologist, since the optician-optometrist is limited to ensuring that the lenses are as well prescribed as possible, but without assessing other eye pathologies.
• Children need to have their glasses changed periodically because they are growing, while between the ages of 25 and 40, prescriptions remain stable. From that age onward, presbyopia usually develops, requiring glasses to be changed periodically due to the progressive loss of near vision.
• Although there are contact lenses on the market that allow you to sleep in them, it is best to remove them when going to bed and put them in when waking up, as they can cause eye irritation.
• From the age of 18, those affected by certain vision problems, except presbyopia, can undergo refractive surgery that allows them to do without glasses.
• In low-light environments, 20% of visual acuity is lost, regardless of the subject's age, so Dr. Sánchez-Ramos advises avoiding night driving whenever possible.
NOTE: Tobacco use causes age-related macular degeneration as well as cataracts.
