Yoga of Perfect Sight

Eye Troubles in Old Age

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is the name given to the loss of power to use the eyes at the near-point without the aid of glasses. which usually occurs after the age of forty. It is a noteworthy fact that many other eye troubles such as cataract, glaucoma and inflammation of the interior of the eyeball start about this time. There are cases, however, in which the vision remains quite normal in both eyes long after the presbyopic age.

A man of sixty-five had quite good vision both for far and near. His vision on the Snellen test card was 20/10, and he could read the fine print at twelve inches. In reply to a query as to how he could possess normal vision at this age, he said that when he was about forty he began to experience difficulty in reading. He consulted an optician who advised glasses. He could not believe, however, that the glasses were necessary, because at times he could read perfectly without them. The matter interested him so much that he began to observe facts, a thing that people seldom do. He noted, first, that when he tried hard to see either at the near-point or at the distance, his vision invariably became worse, and the harder he tried the worse it became. Evidently something was wrong with this method of using the eyes. Then he tried to look at things without effort, without trying to see them. He also tried resting his eyes by closing them for five minutes or longer, or by looking away from the page that he wished to read, or the distant objects he wished to see. These practices always improved his sight and by keeping them up he not only regained normal vision but retained it for twenty-five years.

The fact is that presbyopia is due to strain. Glasses may enable the patient to read but cannot relieve the strain which underlies the imperfect functioning of the eyes. It is a matter of common experience that the vision declines rapidly after the patient begins to wear glasses. When people put on glasses because they cannot read fine print they often find that in a couple of weeks they cannot, without them, read the coarse print which was perfectly clear to them before. In some cases the decline of eyesight is quite fast and the oculist is compelled to change the glasses quite frequently, increasing the number each time.

Presbyopia is cured just as any other error of refraction is cured, by rest and relaxation. Some presbyopic patients are cured very quickly, other are very slow, but as a rule every one is benefited. When the improvement is very slow, glasses are permitted along with a few minutes' exercise. Such patients are advised to concentrate on a candle flame and read fine print with glasses.

Central fixation on OM chart, shifting the sight on white lines, concentration on a candle flame, frequent palming, reading of fine print are very helpful to presbyopic patients. While it is sometimes very difficult to cure presbyopia, it is fortunately easy to reduce the power of glasses or to prevent it. Persons who are approaching the presbyopic age should start reading fine print in good light and in candle light alternately, bringing the print closer and closer to the eyes till it can be read at six inches. Thus you will escape, not only the necessity of glasses for reading, but all other eye troubles which so often darken the later years of life.

It is usually quite comfortable to use correct glasses for reading but the tendency of many doctors is to give a little higher number and that creates deterioration in eyesight quite fast. If such patients are advised to read fine print daily with glasses, they will be saved from many discomforts and eye troubles.

Patients who have myopia sometimes obtain normal vision just by removing glasses and not wearing them again for reading. Presbyopic patients have a tendency to read in bright electric light, and if the bright light reflects glare from the paper, then it causes harm and weakens the eyes. The light should be so arranged that there is no reflection from the paper. However, reading in candlelight is immensely beneficial.