Yahoo Lifestyle Never Wear Glasses
Do you hold the restaurant menu so far away that you knock over the shiraz? By our mid-40s, most of us have begun to experience presbyopia, the annoying inability to focus on close objects. We can’t escape this condition; it’s an age-related hardening of the lens that defies our eye muscles’ attempts to bend the lens into focus. But recent advances mean you may be able to leave your glasses in their case and return to a more carefree view of life.
Monovision contacts
With monovision contacts, you use your usual distance prescription in your dominant eye (the one you’d use to look through a telescope) and a reading prescription in the other. The result? Crisp close-ups and close-to-perfect vision.
Who should use them?
Monovision contacts suit some people more than others. For example, they may not work for people who have a very dominant eye, so give them a try first.
Ballpark cost: $800 a year for fitting and disposable contacts.
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Multifocal contacts
These enable you to see the movie screen and the newspaper—and everything in between. The latest versions are made from a new material that makes them more stable on the eye, says Sydney optometrist Dr Allan Ared. This means you can wear them for up to 30 days and nights, even while you’re asleep.
Who should use them?
Multifocal contacts suit people who wear glasses for both distance vision and reading.
Ballpark cost: $1,200 a year for fitting and disposable contacts.
Lasers
Lasik, or laser-refractive surgery, is a quick procedure in which a clinician reshapes the cornea with a computer-controlled laser. Doctors have used Lasik for several years to correct eye problems such as short- and long-sightedness, as well as astigmatism (when the front of the eye is oval-shaped). Also, a new laser surgery called IntraCOR has recently hit our shores, and its developers claim it can fix presbyopia.
Who should have it?
Lasik suits people who want to reduce their dependency on glasses or contact lenses. Some experts think IntraCOR needs more trials before they can widely recommend it, so hold off for the time being.
Ballpark cost: The latest Lasik technology costs $2,500 to $5,000 per eye; IntraCOR costs $1,000 to $3,000 per eye.
READ MORE: Eyes the Window to Your Brain
Ortho-K contacts
Wouldn’t it be great to be able to correct your vision while you sleep? Hello, orthokeratology (Ortho-K) contact lenses! These hard contacts reshape the surface of the cornea, the clear window at the front of the eye. This breakthrough is due to new 3-D-imaging technology that enables optometrists to create closer-fitting lenses, adds Ared. However, the effect wears off over the course of the day, says Jared Slater from Optometrists Association Australia. So for consistently better vision, you’ll need to wear these contacts every night.
Who should use them?
This treatment is best for correcting mild short-sightedness (myopia).
Ballpark cost: $2,500 a year for fitting and disposable contacts.
Intraocular lenses
Ophthalmologists can now implant vision-improving lenses, such as multifocals, in the eye. Cataract patients used to be the main recipients of this technology, but it’s increasingly popular for people who are cataract-free. Some patients experience reduced contrast and glare problems after surgery, but the technology continues to improve.
Who should get them?
People for whom Lasik isn’t ideal and those with a strong family history of cataracts can consider intraocular lenses, says Slater.
Ballpark cost: $2,500 to $7,000 per eye. Costs depend on various factors, including your health insurance and choice of lens.
Eye scans
Doctors have employed eye-scanning technologies, such as digital retinal photography, for some time, but more local optometrists are now using them, says Grant Fisher, OPSM’s national eye-care director. This means earlier detection and better treatment (and management) of conditions such as macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Who should have them?
Everyone! They’re becoming partof standard eye check-ups.
Ballpark cost: Around $30, but this varies among optometrists.
