Eye Exercises and Presbyopia

Recently, Nintenod has been promoting a new game package for its handheld DS system. The package, called Flash Focus, is a series of exercises for your eyes, ostensibly to stave off vision loss that occurs as we age. Very popular in Japan, Nintendo is hoping to target a different sector of the American market with this product. The question is: if you want better vision, can eye exercises help?

When we are young, our healthy eyes work well in seeing both near and far. As the eyes age, problems with nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia may begin to appear. And while eye exercises might seem like a logical way to improve vision strength, in reality they seem to be of little value.

Presbyopia is of particular concern to older individuals. Although no one knows the exact cause of the disease, It has also been postulated that a weakness in the muscles makes them unable to compress and bend the lens as necessary to make it focus on objects at different distances. However, since eye exercises seem to be of little use in correcting the disease, it seems unlikely that the muscles are the problem. The most common theory for the cause of presbyopia is that the lens loses elasticity, making it harder for the muscles to bend it to focus up close. Fortunately, remedies exist.

Many people wear reading glasses to cope with presbyopia. Thankfully, modern technology now offers the intraocular lens, also called an artificial lens, to solve this aggravating vision problem.

The intraocular lens works when implanted in the eye, replacing the stiffened crystalline lens. Intraocular lenses can be multifocal so that patients are able to see both up close and at a distance.

If you’re struggling with presbyopia, why continue when the problem can be solved so quickly and easily? The Sacramento LASIK surgeons at Griffin & Reed Eye Care would be happy to discuss your vision needs in a private consultation.