“Something has changed with my eyes. I can’t see well up close anymore. Is this normal?”
Most people have these experiences sooner or later. Many report that from their mid to late 40s onwards they no longer see as well as before. Why does this phenomenon occur and can it be prevented somehow? Let’s take a closer look at why people become farsighted as they get older and what that means!
What is presbyopia?
Being farsighted means that you can only see things clearly at a certain distance. Up close, the images become blurry.
There are people who are farsighted from a young age, just as other people are shortsighted. Regardless of this, there is a process that occurs in most people at some point: farsightedness in old age, also known as presbyopia. As life progresses, the eye’s ability to quickly adjust to different distances decreases. It is becoming increasingly difficult to see clearly up close.
Presbyopia is a gradual process. You notice it primarily because you have to stretch your arms further and further out when reading in order to see clearly. At some point this is no longer enough and many people turn to reading glasses to make reading more comfortable again. But what is behind farsightedness and how does it come about?
Presbyopia: When the lens loses its flexibility
The main reason for farsightedness as we age is the decreasing flexibility of the lens of the eye. In order to see clearly at different distances, the lens in the eye has to change its shape. This ability of the eye is called accommodation. And this is how it works:
The ciliary muscle in the eye contracts when you look at something nearby. This causes the lens to bulge and become thicker. This increases the refractive power of the eye and creates a sharp image of close objects.
When you look into the distance, the ciliary muscle relaxes and the lens flattens. The refractive power of the lens becomes weaker and the eye can now see distant things clearly.
However, as we age, the lens becomes less and less elastic. The ciliary muscle still gives the appropriate signal, but the lens can no longer bulge as well as it did in younger years. This means that you can still see clearly from a distance, but it becomes increasingly difficult to see up close.
Can you prevent farsightedness as you age?
Unfortunately, you cannot really stop the aging process of the eye. It is biologically programmed, just like gray hair or the loss of skin tension. Sooner or later, these signs of aging appear in almost everyone. Nevertheless, there are a few things you can do to keep your eyes healthy for as long as possible:
- Relax your eyes regularly, especially if you work a lot on the screen or smartphone! Every 20 minutes you should give your eyes a break and look into the distance for 20 to 30 seconds. An object 6 to 8 meters away is enough. By doing this habit, you relieve the strain on the ciliary muscle, which is responsible for focusing.
- Take care when reading or doing crafts good lighting! Then the lens does not have to strain excessively and the eyes are protected.
- Watch out for one balanced diet! Vitamins A, C and E as well as zinc and some other nutrients are particularly important for the performance of the eyes. If you would like to additionally support your body with important substances, you can use high-quality nutritional supplements, for example our popular ones Tablets with zinc and selenium.
- UV radiation can strain the eyes. One Sunglasses with UV protection helps protect eyes from excessive radiation.
