What are your options beyond reaching for readers?
If you are over 45 and forever hunting for your reading glasses, you are not stuck with them. Several treatments can help change your reading vision. This page compares the main options IVISION LASER offers in Adelaide, so you can see how they differ before you book a free assessment.
Somewhere in your mid-forties, small print starts to drift. Menus, phone screens and medication labels become easier to read at arm's length, and you find yourself holding things further away or reaching for a pair of readers. This is presbyopia, a normal part of ageing.
It happens because the natural lens inside the eye gradually becomes less flexible. When you are younger, that lens changes shape easily to focus from far to near. Over time it stiffens, so close-up focusing becomes harder. Reading glasses simply add the focusing power your lens no longer supplies. They work well, but many people find them inconvenient, easy to misplace and a reminder of a change they would rather not manage every day.
The good news is that reading glasses are not the only answer. Depending on your eyes, your prescription and your lifestyle, a treatment may be able to reduce how much you rely on them. Below is a plain comparison of the main options.
Compare your options for reading vision
Each option works differently and suits different eyes. Use the table as a starting point, not a diagnosis. The right choice is confirmed at a free assessment once we understand your eyes and what you want from your vision.
The natural lens is replaced with a clear artificial lens chosen to give distance, intermediate and close-up vision.
Often suits people with stronger prescriptions, or those closer to needing cataract surgery later.
Permanent. The replaced lens does not develop a cataract in future.
Reading glasses or contacts
Add focusing power in front of the eye for close work, either as glasses you put on and take off or as multifocal contact lenses.
People who prefer a non-surgical option, or who want to try correction before considering treatment.
Not permanent. You keep wearing and replacing them, and your prescription can change over time.
The right option depends on your eyes, your prescription and your lifestyle, and is confirmed at a free assessment. This page is general information, not medical advice.
How to think about the choice
There is no single best option, only the option that best fits your eyes and how you want to live. A few questions help point the way. Do you mainly want to read more comfortably, or would you also like clearer distance vision? How strong is your current prescription? Are you close to the age where cataract may become a factor? How do you feel about a laser treatment versus a lens-based one?
These are exactly the things we work through with you at your assessment. We examine your eyes in detail, talk about your daily activities, and give you a clear, honest recommendation, including whether staying with reading glasses is the sensible choice for now.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
Explore each option in detail
Read more about the treatments in this comparison, then take the self-test or book a free assessment to find out which one suits your eyes.
Not everyone is suitable, and the right choice changes with your eyes, your age and your lifestyle. Our free 2-minute self-test suggests where to start, with no appointment needed.
Not necessarily. Reading glasses are a simple, effective option, but they are not the only one. Depending on your eyes, a treatment such as PRESBYOND or lens replacement may reduce how much you rely on readers. A free assessment is the way to find out what suits you.
Reading glasses and contacts are not permanent, as you keep wearing and replacing them. Laser treatment and corneal inlays are designed as lasting changes. Lens replacement is permanent, and because the natural lens is replaced, it will not later develop a cataract. Which option is right for you depends on your eyes and is confirmed at your assessment.
Yes, some can. PRESBYOND is designed to support distance, intermediate and near vision, and can also treat myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. Lens replacement can also be set up for a range of distances. Whether this is achievable for you depends on a detailed eye examination.
Presbyopia treatments are aimed at people over 45, and some options suit those closer to when cataract may become a factor. Age is only one part of the picture. Your prescription, the health and shape of your eyes and your lifestyle all matter. The only way to know for certain is a free assessment. You can also take our 2-minute self-test for a quick indication.
Cost depends on the option that suits your eyes. You can see indicative pricing and payment-plan options on our pricing page, and your exact pricing is confirmed at your consultation once we know which option is right for you.
The best way to know your options is a free consultation. We will examine your eyes and give you a clear answer on your suitability, including whether treatment is right for you at all.
