Presbyopia: Symptoms, Causes, & Management

By Dr. Giovanna Olivares, OD, FAAO; Johnson & Johnson Director & Staff Writer

What is Presbyopia?

Presbyopia is an eye condition where you have trouble focusing on things close up as you age. It commonly appears after the age of 40 and usually comes on gradually¹.

If you have presbyopia or think you may have it, you’re not alone.

According to the UK’s Association of Optometrists, around 1.8 billion people had presbyopia globally in 2015. And this number is expected to rise much higher by 2030.²

Presbyopia affects our eyes’ ability to focus easily on text, details or objects that are nearby. What happens is that the lens inside the eye progressively loses flexibility as we age, making it difficult to read a book, or a restaurant menu, for example.

One of the most common presbyopia symptoms is having to hold reading materials further from your eyes to make them clearer¹. The condition can also strain your eyes¹.

The good news? You’ll find a range of presbyopia treatment options which we’ll cover in more detail below – along with the key signs and symptoms.

What causes presbyopia?

Ageing is one of the main causes of presbyopia, a condition that tends to affect our eyes naturally as we get older¹. Normally, the eye lens changes shape to help us shift focus between near and distant objects. But as it thickens and loses flexibility with age, its ability to change shape also reduces. And this makes it harder to see things close-up.

Presbyopia symptoms typically start in our 40s but they can occur earlier or later for some.

Since age is the main factor that causes presbyopia, it’s not something you can easily prevent or reverse. But medications, glasses, contact lenses or even eye surgery for presbyopia could potentially help to ease the strain on your vision¹.

In many cases, the condition can stop worsening once people reach the age of 65.³

Signs and symptoms of presbyopia

The main presbyopia symptoms usually affect your short-term vision. For example, reading could become more difficult. And you may find yourself squinting or straining from tired eyes.

Here are telltale signs that you may have presbyopia:

Squinting

This is a common sign of presbyopia as your eyes compensate for their decreased ability to focus on nearby objects.

Difficulty reading small print

Books, smartphones, photographs, menus, medicine bottles – all of these can become a challenge due to blurriness in your vision or a lack of focus.

Eye fatigue

Prolonged near-vision tasks, such as reading or computer work, may lead to eye strain and fatigue.

Headaches

Along with eye strain, presbyopia can cause headaches if it’s not treated properly.³

Needing extra light to read

You may find it harder to read the likes of menus, books, letters and legal documents without a good light source nearby.⁴

Holding books further away

You might end up reading books at arms’ length so you can see the words better.⁴ Or increasing the size of fonts on your phone or tablet.

How is presbyopia diagnosed?

A comprehensive eye test can often help to diagnose whether you’ve got presbyopia or another visual condition.

But if you’re around 40 and start to notice changes in your vision, there’s a strong chance that you’re experiencing presbyopia.

Your eye test with an Eye Care Professional will confirm whether you have presbyopia symptoms. They’ll perform a series of vision assessments to check if your difficulty focusing is due to its onset. These tests should be straightforward and pain-free.³

Just remember that presbyopia is a progressive condition. So, regular eye examinations are always recommended to keep on top of it as you age. The NHS recommends having an eye test every two years.⁵

When to seek immediate medical care

See an Eye Care Professional immediately if you’re experiencing serious discomfort that goes beyond the usual list of presbyopia symptoms.

For example:

Double vision.
A sudden haziness or blurriness in your vision.
Suddenly losing the sight in one of your eyes – even if it’s pain-free.
The appearance of black spots or flashes of light in your vision.⁶

All these factors could point to a more serious eye condition than presbyopia, which you shouldn’t ignore.

How to correct presbyopia

Spectacles, reading glasses, or contact lenses for presbyopia can all help to treat the condition. ACUVUE^® Multifocal Contact Lenses are designed to help you see clearly near, far and in-between.⁷

Here are some potential presbyopia solutions that might work for you:

Glasses

A range of glasses could help to correct the condition and clear up your short-term vision. These include reading glasses, varifocal glasses, and bifocal/trifocal lenses.

Contact lenses for presbyopia

ACUVUE^® offers specific contact lenses for presbyopia. They’re multifocal, which means you could benefit from near and distance vision correction in just the one lens.

Research also shows that 67% of presbyopes (people with presbyopia) would prefer contact lenses to their existing solution.⁸

Eye surgery for presbyopia

Depending on your eyes’ condition and what your doctor advises, you might have the option to try procedures like presbyopia laser surgery.

Why choose ACUVUE^® for presbyopia?

Clear vision near, far and in-between⁷

Seamlessly go from reading close up to seeing far away, even on the move.

Optimised to your pupils

Our Pupil Optimised Design optimises the optical design to the pupil size according to age and refractive power, to help bring you clear vision near, far and in-between.⁷

Built in UV protection^9*

ACUVUE^® offers UV blocking^9* across its entire line of contact lenses, including those for presbyopia.

Don’t let changing eyesight slow you down

Presbyopia may be a natural part of the body’s ageing process. But it doesn’t have to hold back your lifestyle or put a stop to your reading habit.

By recognising the presbyopia symptoms early and exploring all available solutions, you could benefit from clearer vision and still enjoy life to the fullest.

Visit your Eye Care Professional to discuss your vision needs.

Find an optician

Presbyopia FAQs

What does presbyopia look like?

Presbyopia often takes the form of blurry vision when trying to focus on close-up objects.⁴ Headaches and eye strain are other common issues that you might encounter.⁴

You may experience these presbyopia symptoms when holding books or other documents at a short distance from your eyes.

Is presbyopia nearsighted or farsighted?

Presbyopia is a slightly different condition to both nearsightedness and farsightedness.⁴

But it shares many characteristics of farsightedness, since both conditions can lead to blurred close-up vision and difficulties seeing nearby objects. However, they’re ultimately caused by different eye issues.⁴

What’s the difference between presbyopia and myopia?

Presbyopia is an eye condition that causes close-up objects to appear blurry. It’s generally age-related.

On the other hand, myopia is a condition that leads to shortsightedness.¹⁰ In contrast to presbyopia, this means you’re unable to see faraway objects easily. It can occur in both children and adults. Myopia may run in your family too.¹⁰

About the author

Giovanna E. Olivares, OD, FAAO is the Global Director, Specialty Platforms Research & Development, at Johnson & Johnson. In this role, she is responsible for overseeing the strategy, design, and development of new products to support the company’s global Astigmatism and Presbyopia platforms.

Footnotes

Important information for contact lens wearers: ACUVUE^® Contact Lenses can be used for vision correction. An Eye Care Professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and instructions on proper lens care. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, any eye disease or systemic disease, that may affect the eye, or if you are allergic to any ingredients. If you experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems, remove the lens and contact your Eye Care Professional immediately. For more information, including warnings and precautions, carefully read the Instructions for Use available on the Johnson & Johnson website www.e-ifu.com.

American Academy of Ophthalmology. What is Presbyopia. Published May 21st 2024. Available at: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopia
Association of Optometrists. Presbyopia Myths and Mishaps Discussed at 100% Optical. Published 14th March 2023. Available at: https://www.aop.org.uk/ot/100-percent-optical/2023/03/14/presbyopia-myths-and-mishaps-discussed-at-100-optical
Cleveland Clinic. Presbyopia. Reviewed 6th July 2023. Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8577-presbyopia
Mayo Clinic. Presbyopia. Published 20th November 2021. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/presbyopia/symptoms-causes/syc-20363328
NHS. Visiting an Opticians. Reviewed 4th May 2024. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/opticians/visiting-an-optician/
Mayo Clinic. Presbyopia. Published 20th November 2021. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/presbyopia/symptoms-causes/syc-20363328
JJV Data on file 2022. CSM- ACUVUE^® PUPIL OPTIMIZED DESIGN Technology: JJVC contact lenses, design features, and associated benefits.
Rueff, Erin M., and Melissa D. Bailey. “Presbyopic and non-presbyopic contact lens opinions and vision correction preferences.” Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, vol. 40, no. 5, Mar. 2017, pp. 323–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clae.2017.03.010.
JJV Data on File 2022: Master Brand Claims on Clinical Performance and Overall Material Properties for ACUVUE^® Brand Soft Contact Lenses.
NHS. Shortsightedness (myopia). Reviewed 10th May 2022. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/short-sightedness/

*All ACUVUE^® Brand Soft Contact Lenses offer Class 1 or 2 UV blocking to help protect from the transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye.

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