Nutrition and treatment options for presbyopia
Presbyopia affects the eye’s ability to focus on nearby objects. It is considered a natural aspect of aging as the gradual weakening of the body affects one’s sight too, usually after the age of 40. The iris, which is primarily responsible for focusing on objects, loses its flexibility irreversibly. But there are nutrition habits one can adopt, alongside treatment options for presbyopia, which can enhance one’s vision to improve the quality of life.
Nutrition recommendations for presbyopia treatment
Fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamins and minerals enhance eye health and are recommended among natural foods and treatments for presbyopia. For example, carrots are rich in beta carotene, which helps lower the risk of degenerative problems affecting one or both eyes. Vitamin C is another important antioxidant that protects the eye and postpones the occurrence of any eye condition, including presbyopia.
Broccoli, bell peppers, and brussels sprouts are loaded with vitamin C. One can also include oranges in their daily food intake to supplement the requirement naturally. Spinach is another all-round leafy green that is loaded with beta carotene, vitamin C, and essential antioxidants, in addition to lutein and zeaxanthin. Both antioxidants help absorb blue light emitted by most display devices, including the computer screen and phone.
Popular presbyopia treatment options
- Ocular devices
Glasses are widely used to correct or adjust focus in one or both eyes. Depending on the severity of the focal disruption, ophthalmologists or opticians may suggest the use of single vison, bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses. Those who are comfortable wearing contact lenses can opt for soft lens monovision or multifocal contacts to correct their vision. - Surgery for focal correction
Note that surgery cannot completely cure presbyopia. However, LASIK surgery can reduce the dependency on reading glasses or contact lenses in the long run. This procedure helps enhance vision to a certain extent. Monovision LASIK corrects the distance vision for the dominant eye and adjusts nearsightedness for the other. This means the person will be able to focus more clearly on objects that are farthest but may experience some difficulty with close vision. It is, however, an acceptable compromise for many who have this surgery. Multifocal LASIK is a more experimental surgery that creates multiple points of focus to improve the depth of field and distance vision. It is still in its clinical trial phase, awaiting approval from the FDA.