Presbyopia
Loss of Lens Elasticity
The lens of a youthful eye is flexible and can respond to the eye’s muscles to change shape (“accommodate”), becoming thicker to see near objects clearly. Over time, the eye’s lens gradually loses its elasticity and its ability to change shape to see close objects. Bifocals or reading glasses are the traditional prescription for remedying this presbyopic loss of accommodation, but recent technology makes it possible to replace the inflexible lens for a lifestyle lens for clear vision at all distances.
How the Eye Works
The eye’s surface, or the cornea, is convex. A well-shaped cornea allows light rays that hit it to bend through the pupil, pass through the lens, and focus precisely on the retina at the back of the eye. The retina converts the light rays into electrical impulses that are sent through the optic nerve to the brain, where a clear image is produced.
