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# Presbyopia: What causes it and how to treat it
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Presbyopia is the normal loss of near focusing ability that occurs with age. Most people begin to notice the effects of presbyopia sometime after age 40, when they start having trouble seeing small print clearly — including text messages on their phone.
You can't escape presbyopia, even if you've never had a vision problem before. Even people who are  will notice that their near vision blurs when they wear their usual eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct distance vision.
The eye's lens stiffens with age, so it is less able to focus when you view something up close.
 that nearly 2 billion people worldwide have presbyopia.
Though presbyopia is a normal change in our eyes as we age, it often is a significant and emotional event because it's a sign of aging that's impossible to ignore and difficult to hide.
In parts of the world where there is no access to vision care, presbyopia is much more than an inconvenience — it's a leading cause of vision impairment that reduces people's quality of life and productivity.
## Presbyopia symptoms
When you become presbyopic, you either have to hold your smartphone and other objects and reading material (books, magazines, menus, labels, etc.) farther from your eyes to see them more clearly.
Unfortunately, when you move things farther from your eyes they get smaller in size, so this is only a temporary and partially successful solution to presbyopia.
If you can still see close objects pretty well, presbyopia can cause headaches, eye strain and visual fatigue that makes reading and other near vision tasks less comfortable and more tiring.
## What causes presbyopia?
Presbyopia is an age-related process. It is a gradual thickening and loss of flexibility of the natural lens inside your eye.
These age-related changes occur within the proteins in the lens, making the lens harder and less elastic over time. Age-related changes also take place in the muscle fibers surrounding the lens. With less elasticity, it gets difficult for the eyes to focus on close objects.
## Presbyopia treatment
Presbyopia can be treated with  (including reading glasses),  and .
#### Eyeglasses
Eyeglasses with progressive lenses are the most popular solution for presbyopia for most people over age 40. These line-free multifocal lenses restore clear near vision and provide excellent vision at all distances.
Another presbyopia treatment option is eyeglasses with bifocal lenses, but bifocals provide a more limited range of vision for many people with presbyopia.
It's also common for people with presbyopia to notice they are becoming more sensitive to light and glare due to aging changes in their eyes. Photochromic lenses, which darken automatically in sunlight, are a good choice for this reason.
 are another choice. Unlike bifocals and progressive lenses, which most people wear all day, reading glasses are worn only when needed to see close objects and small print more clearly.
If you wear contact lenses, your eye doctor can prescribe reading glasses that you wear while your contact lenses are in. You may purchase reading glasses at an eyewear retail store, or you can get higher-quality versions prescribed by your eye doctor.
Regardless which type of eyeglasses you choose to correct presbyopia, definitely consider lenses that include anti-reflective coating. Anti-reflective coating eliminates reflections that can be distracting and cause eye strain. It also helps reduce glare and increase visual clarity for night driving.
#### Contact lenses
People with presbyopia also can opt for multifocal contact lenses, available in gas permeable or soft lens materials.
Another type of contact lens correction for presbyopia is monovision, in which one eye wears a distance prescription, and the other wears a prescription for near vision. The brain learns to favor one eye or the other for different tasks.
While some people are delighted with this solution, others complain of reduced visual acuity and some loss of depth perception.
Because the human eye change as you grow older, your presbyopia glasses or contacts prescription will need to be increased over time as well. You can expect your eye doctor to prescribe a stronger correction for near work as you need it.
#### Presbyopia surgery
If you don't want to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses for presbyopia, a number of surgical options to treat presbyopia are available as well.
One presbyopia correction procedure that's gaining popularity is implantation of a corneal inlay.
Typically implanted in the cornea of the eye that's not your dominant eye, a corneal inlay increases depth of focus of the treated eye and reduces the need for reading glasses without significantly affecting the quality of your distance vision.
The first step to see if you are a good candidate for presbyopia surgery is to have a comprehensive eye exam and a consultation with a refractive surgeon who specializes in the surgical correction of presbyopia.
## Presbyopia is a part of growing older
Presbyopia is a normal part of the aging process, and we’re all going to have to deal with it sometime after age 40. Whichever option you choose – eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery – you’ll be able to easily read messages on your phone or a book to your granddaughter without any trouble.
If you are beginning to notice signs and symptoms of presbyopia,  for an eye exam and consultation regarding the best presbyopia treatment options for you.
Page published on Friday, January 24, 2020
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  | 
# Pink eye: Symptoms and treatments
By 
What is pink eye?
Pink eye — also called conjunctivitis — is inflammation of the thin, clear covering of the white of the eye and the inside of the eyelids (conjunctiva).
Conjunctivitis can have several causes (see below), but many eye doctors use the term "pink eye" to refer only to viral conjunctivitis, a highly contagious infection caused by a variety of viruses.
"Pink eye" may sound scary to hear, but this common eye problem typically is easily treated. Moreover, with a few simple precautions, pink eye can often be avoided.
One type of pink eye, though, can cause serious vision issues if it is untreated.  if you are concerned about your pink eye.
Anyone can get pink eye, but office workers, store employees, preschoolers, schoolchildren, college students, teachers and child care workers are particularly at risk for the contagious types of pink eye because they work closely with others.
Here’s what you need to know about pink eye:
## What causes pink eye?
The , based on cause, are:
* **Viral conjunctivitis.** Caused by a virus, like the common cold. This type of pink eye is very contagious, but usually will clear up on its own within several days without medical treatment.
* **Bacterial conjunctivitis.** Caused by bacteria, this type of conjunctivitis can cause serious damage to the eye if left untreated.
* **Allergic conjunctivitis.** Caused by eye irritants such as pollen, dust and animal dander among susceptible individuals. Allergic conjunctivitis may be seasonal (pollen) or flare up year-round (dust; pet dander).
## Pink eye symptoms
The primary symptom of pink eye is an eye that has a pink appearance. Other symptoms of pink eye depend on the type of conjunctivitis:
* **Viral conjunctivitis symptoms** include watery, itchy eyes or sensitivity to light. One or both eyes can be affected. Viral conjunctivitis is highly contagious and can be spread by coughing and sneezing.
* **Bacterial conjunctivitis** **symptoms** include a sticky, yellow or greenish-yellow eye discharge in the corner of the eye. In some cases, this discharge can be severe enough to cause the eyelids to be stuck together when you wake up.
  One or both eyes can be affected. Bacterial conjunctivitis is contagious, usually by direct contact with infected hands or items that have touched the eye.
* **Allergic conjunctivitis symptoms** include watery, burning, itchy eyes and are often accompanied by stuffiness and a runny nose, and sensitivity to light. Allergic conjunctivitis affects both eyes, but this type of pink eye is not contagious.
## Pink eye treatments
As you would expect, the treatment of pink eye depends on the type of conjunctivitis you have:
* **Viral conjunctivitis treatment** In most cases, viral conjunctivitis will run its course over a period of several days and no medical treatment is required. Applying a cold, wet washcloth to the eyes several times a day can relieve symptoms of viral conjunctivitis.
* **Bacterial conjunctivitis treatment** Your eye doctor typically will prescribe antibiotic eye drops or ointments for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.
* **Allergic conjunctivitis treatment** Allergy medications often can help prevent or shorten bouts of allergic conjunctivitis.
Often it can be difficult to tell the type of conjunctivitis you have by symptoms alone (or if some other eye or health conditions are causing your symptoms).
Conditions associated with conjunctivitis include dry eyes. Also, bacterial conjunctivitis sometimes can lead to very serious eye problems potentially causing permanent vision loss.
For these reasons, anytime you develop red, irritated eyes, you should call your eye doctor immediately and schedule an eye exam.
If you wear contact lenses and have red, irritated eyes, remove your lenses and wear only your spectacles until your eye doctor has had a chance to examine your eyes.
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## 9 pink eye prevention tips
Now that you know the basics about viral pink eye and other forms of conjunctivitis, what can you do to protect yourself and your kids from it?
Here are nine simple precautions you can take to significantly reduce your risk of getting pink eye:
1. **Never share personal items** such as washcloths, hand towels or tissues.
2. **Cover your nose and mouth** when coughing or sneezing, and avoid rubbing or touching your eyes.
3. **Wash your hands frequently**, especially when spending time at school or in other public places.
4. **Keep a hand sanitizer nearby** and use it frequently.
5. **Frequently clean** surfaces such as countertops, bathroom surfaces, faucet handles and shared phones with an antiseptic cleaner.
6. **If you know you suffer from seasonal allergies**, ask your doctor what can be done to minimize your symptoms before they begin.
7. **If you wear contact lenses**, follow your eye doctor's instructions for lens care and replacement, and use contact lens solutions properly or consider switching to daily disposable contact lenses.
8. **When swimming**, wear swim goggles to protect yourself from bacteria and other microorganisms in the water that can cause conjunctivitis.
9. **Before showering**, remove your contact lenses to avoid trapping bacteria between your eyes and the lenses.
Wash your hands often, to keep viral pink eye from spreading.
Despite these precautions, you or your child still may develop pink eye.
If your child is affected, tell his or her teacher about the infection so extra steps can be taken to sanitize the classroom or day care center. Also, keep your child home until the contagious stage has passed.
Your eye doctor will let you know when you or your child can be around others without risk of spreading contagious pink eye — usually about three to five days after the diagnosis.
If your pink eye doesn't clear up and because a red or pink eye can be a symptom of many different types of eye problems — some of which can be quite serious — .
Page published on Thursday, January 23, 2020
### Pink eye: Symptoms and treatments