Presbyopia is an age-related inability of crystalline lens to change its shape and focus on nearby objects. The term “presbyopia” comes from a Greek word which means “old eye.” Presbyopia is not a disease – it is a natural part of aging process, just like the appearance of wrinkles and loss of skin’s elasticity.

The crystalline lens has 2 main functions – to be transparent in order to focus light on the retina and be flexible to enable clear vision at all distances. The ciliary muscles located inside of an eyeball changes the shape of the lens as needed.

In a young person, the lens is soft and flexible, but around 40-45 years of age the lens starts to lose its elasticity and cannot change shape as easily. Therefore, focusing at near distance becomes harder and harder. This leads to difficulty to read, eye strain, headache and excessive fatigue while engaging in close-up activities. One might need to hold a book or phone out at arm’s length to see the text clearly. Getting reading glasses are most common way of managing these symptoms and reading comfortably. Presbyopia gets worse until early to mid-60s. Until then, the prescription of reading glasses increases. If a person already had a refractive error of some sort (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism) then 2 pairs of glasses with different prescription are necessary for far and near distances. Alternatively, bifocal or progressive lenses could be used.

If individual is not willing to use reading glasses, presbyopia can be corrected with:

• Contact lenses;
• Monovision with LASIK;
• Lens approach.

During the LASIK Monovision the dominant eye is corrected for distance vision and non-dominant eye for near vision. Hence, the patient doesn’t require glasses at any distance.

Professor Merab Dvali underwent LASIK Monovision for Presbyopia Correction in 2010

Doctor of Medicine Nino Tavberidze (2009), Prof. Merab Dvali (2010), Doctor of Medicine Nino Kvaratskhelia (2015)

Recently lens approach for presbyopia correction is gaining popularity among presbyopic population during which the natural lens is replaced by multifocal IOL, which provides clear vision for near, intermediate and far distances at every age.