We all either have or will experience the inability to read in our early to mid 40's requiring the need for reading glasses or for those who wear glasses, bifocals. This condition is called presbyopia and the good news is there may be treatment for this. 

For 35 years, glasses were the first thing I put on in the morning and the last thing I took off at the end of the day.  My decision to have cataract curgery with Dr. Velazquez was the best thing I have ever done.  My vision and life are so happy now!  I love being able to put on eye makeup without glasses.  As a dental hygienist, my work involves looking upside down and up close in a mirror as well as seeing what the doctor is doing across the room.  My sight is fantastic at any distance thanks to Dr. Velazquez's implantation of the ReSTOR Premium Lens. Mitzy, Dental Hygienest, Cahaba Valley Pediatric Dentistry

What is presbyopia?

Within the eye, there is a lens that helps the cornea (outer window of the eye) focus light. It works like a camera, allowing us to "auto focus" on objects at different distances. This lens is made of flexible tissue, and it is attached to thousands of tiny rope-like strands called "zonules." Small muscles pull on the zonules to change the shape of the lens. When the muscles pull, the middle of the lens becomes thicker. This causes light passing through the lens to focus on near objects. As the muscles relax, the lens becomes thinner in the middle, which allows us to focus on distance objects. 

This ability to go from near to far focus is called "accommodation." As we age, the lens becomes larger and takes up more space, making it more difficult for the muscles to pull the zonules and change the shape of the lens. When the lens can no longer become thicker in the middle, we loose the ability to read up close. This condition is called Presbyopia.

There are excellent surgical options for treating presbyopia. The two best are Bifocal Implants (Refractive Lens Exchange or RLE with a multifocal intraocular lens like ReSTOR, Tecnis Multifocal, Symfony or monovision LASIK (one eye corrected for reading and the other for distance). Take your first steps towards visual independence today by calling 888-841-EYES to schedule a free consultation with the doctor.