What is presbyopia?

Presbyopia affects nearly 30 million French people. It is a natural evolution of vision that affects the entire population from the age of forty. With age, the crystalline lens loses some of its elasticity and accommodation capacity. The eye is no longer able to produce a clear image, and the presbyope finds it difficult to see up close. You are unable to read a book or consult your smartphone. You have to stretch out your arms, magnify the characters on your screens or move closer to the light to read. It is often while reading that the first problems are noticed.

If you recognise the first signs of presbyopia, do not wait to consult your ophthalmologist. Do you think you need to see an ophthalmologist? Test your eyesight online to find out for yourself.

How does presbyopia develop?

Presbyopia is indicated on your spectacle prescription by the word VP, for Near Vision, or Add, for Addition, followed by a plus sign and a number ranging from +0.25 to +3.50 dioptres. This addition continues to increase with age, but tends to stabilise around the age of 60. It is interesting to note that pre-existing visual defects in a presbyope (myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism) do not delay or accelerate the onset or development of presbyopia. Furthermore, not wearing glasses does not slow down the progression of presbyopia, but can instead cause excessive visual fatigue.

How can presbyopia be corrected?

There are many ways to compensate for presbyopia. As far as glasses are concerned, they do not all offer the same level of comfort or the same aesthetic appeal:

Simple reading glasses for close vision will only fulfil the function of a magnifying glass but will not allow clear vision beyond close vision. It is therefore necessary to remove your glasses for intermediate or distance vision.

The mid-distance lens supports the wearer in near vision, but also in intermediate vision. This means that you can read and distinguish people close to you. However, it is not suitable for distance vision. It is therefore necessary to remove these glasses when driving, for outdoor activities or to watch television.

Progressive lenses are now the most comfortable solution for correcting presbyopia. They allow natural vision to be restored at all distances, whether near, intermediate or far, and erase the signs of ageing (compared to bifocal lenses, for example). You can wear your glasses in any daily activity without having to juggle from one pair of glasses to another. This is the solution adopted by more than two-thirds of presbyopes in France.

Like millions of wearers who have tested and approved Varilux® lenses, you too can choose the world's leading progressive lens brand: 60 years of innovation for your vision. Designed to meet your needs and evolve with your lifestyle, they will help you get through presbyopia without changing your habits. But the person who can tell you the most about them is your optician, who will explain to you why you should choose Varilux® and which lens in the range best suits you.

How do progressive lenses work?

Unlike single vision lenses for which the correction is identical over the entire surface of the lens, the progressive lens offers different correction powers over its surface, depending on the vision required: near vision, intermediate vision or distance vision.

The transition from one vision distance to another is therefore "progressive". This means that you can keep the same pair of glasses for all your activities.

Please note: progressive lenses can perfectly handle presbyopia when it is added to another visual defect such as myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism.

Which progressive lens should you choose for your activities?

Do you play sport, drive, do DIY or enjoy outdoor activities? For each of your activities, there is a progressive lens that meets your specific needs. Adopting a second pair of quality glasses, in addition to your main pair, can help meet your specific needs.

Sport: for optimal vision in motion and better contrast perception, ask for Varilux® Sport lenses.
Outdoor activities: Varilux® Sun Max combines UV protection and visual comfort.
Driving: for clear vision at all distances, from your dashboard to traffic signs, choose Varilux® Road Pilot II lenses, which are also suitable for night driving.
DIY or gardening: for your leisure or professional activities, protect your eyes with safety glasses adapted to your vision, thanks to Varilux® ProSafety.
For screens: because screens are omnipresent in our lives, both at work and in our leisure time, Varilux® Digitime progressive lenses incorporate an innovative technology, the "ultra-close vision zone". This specific vision zone at the bottom of the lens relieves the effort of seeing at very short distances, for example in front of a smartphone.