The most common change in vision during the period between forty and sixty years of age is the development of presbyopia. Characterized primarily by difficulty reading materials that are close to the face, the condition occurs due to changes that occur naturally with age. The lens of the eye gradually becomes less flexible; this may begin to occur sometime during the late-30’s or mid-40’s. In addition to trouble performing tasks at close range, eye sight at night will become somewhat diminished.
It is advisable to have a baseline vision screening performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist at the age of 40. This will also be a chance for the eye care professional to check for signs of beginning eye degeneration or other developing problems, many of which begin at this time but in a subtle way that is not usually noticed by non-experts. The ophthalmologist or optometrist will make a personalized recommendation as to the required frequency of follow-up visits based on your individual and family eye history, as well as on the observations made during the examination.
If you are beginning to exhibit signs of presbyopia, or if you have other changes in your visual acuity, the ophthalmologist or optometrist will likely prescribe corrective eyewear. Reading glasses are the most common fix for presbyopia. They are readily available from your ophthalmologist, optometrist or optician, and today’s reading glasses come in styles to suit all fashion senses.