Around age 40 most people notice changes in their near vision, often causing a person to hold reading material further away. This change is known as presbyopia, resulting from the aging of the natural lens, a clear disk located just behind your iris. The lens hardens and cannot focus properly. Presbyopia is not a condition you can prevent or cure with vitamins, but certain nutrients may play a role in the health of your eye.
Solutions
Even though vitamins will not prevent presbyopia, you have options to treat your vision changes. You may elect to wear reading glasses, and this will typically improve your near vision significantly. If you already wear glasses for your distance vision, your doctor may discuss bifocals, a lens designed to help you see in the distance and close up. Trifocals give you distance, near and mid-range vision. If you do not wish to have lines in your lenses, you may elect to use progressives, a type of lens that does not have lines and provides you with all three ranges of vision. If you do not require distance correction, your doctor may simply recommend over-the-counter reading glasses that you can purchase from most drug stores.
Vitamin Benefits
Vitamins will not help presbyopia, but certain nutrients may help protect your eyes from age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration. Both of these conditions may result in vision changes, and vitamins will not treat vision loss. Nutrients, however, may slow down the disease process or prevent the condition. Beneficial nutrients include omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, vitamin E and vitamin C. If you think a vitamin supplement may help protect your eyes, you should talk with your doctor about the best nutrients for your eyes and general health.
Additional Help
Presbyopia happens to everyone, and you cannot prevent these vision changes. You can, however, take care of your eyes to help prevent other age-related eye conditions. Have your eyes examined regularly, wear sunglasses and wear protective goggles, explains MayoClinic.com. Talk to your doctor about any health conditions you have that may put your eyes at risk for eye disease, and she can help you determine ways to help prevent these conditions.
Considerations
If you notice difficulties with reading or other vision changes, contact your eye doctor. Changes in reading vision may indicate presbyopia, but many other eye conditions may also affect your vision. Your doctor can help you determine the cause for your decrease in vision and any treatments necessary.
