What is presbyopia?
- Part of the eye
- Near focus with age
- Group
- Focus & eye coordination
- Vision functions involved
- Focus
- Main source
- Moorfields Eye Hospital
The lens changes shape to focus at different distances. As the lens stiffens with age, close objects become harder to focus on. Most people notice this in their forties. Presbyopia can occur alongside other focusing differences.
Optometrist
An eye-care professional who tests sight, checks eye health and can refer you for specialist care.
How presbyopia can affect day-to-day life
You may recognise some of these situations, or none of them. The point is to find help with the things you want to do.
Reading your phone
Small messages become harder to focus on at your usual distance.
Increase the font and use appropriate near correction.
A restaurant menu
Small print may be harder under dim lighting.
Ask for a larger-print menu or use a comfortable reading light.
Desk work
The monitor and paperwork sit at different distances.
Measure those distances and discuss them when choosing lenses.
Hands-on hobbies
Fine close work may need a different focus from looking across the room.
Describe the hobby to your optometrist rather than choosing lenses by age alone.
Changes you may notice
- Holding a menu or a phone further away to bring the words into focus.
- Tired eyes or headaches during close work.
Everyone is different. Symptoms on their own cannot identify a condition.
What to do about a new or sudden changeAssessment and care
An optometrist can check near vision and the health of your eyes. Reading glasses, bifocals, varifocals or suitable contact lenses may help. The choice depends on your prescription and the distances you need.
Different from long-sightedness
Presbyopia is the age-related loss of flexible near focusing. Long-sightedness is a different refractive error. They can occur together, so two people the same age may need different glasses.
How vision is affected
These topics explain the parts of vision involved. They do not predict your sight, diagnose anything or show the condition itself.
Focus
The cornea and lens focus light onto the retina. A focusing problem is different from damage to the light-sensitive cells or the optic nerve.
Open the focus labEveryday support
Increase the text size and use comfortable task lighting. An eye examination tells gradual presbyopia apart from other causes of blur. Do not assume a sudden change is ordinary ageing.
A question to take to your appointment
Which correction suits the distances between my book, computer and work area?Prepare your appointment checklist
Sources and review status
Sources checked 4 October 2026. Educational draft, not yet clinically reviewed. No clinician has endorsed this page. Follow the advice of your own eye-care team.
How this content is prepared