Surgical Correction of Presbyopia

Abstract

Accommodation is a reflex increase in the power of the lens that allows focus from far to near; as we age there is a gradual loss of the amplitude of accommodation, and around age 40 presbyopia becomes clinically manifest. Presbyopia is associated with a decreased quality of life because patients become spectacle dependent for performing daily activities like reading, working on a computer or seeing the car dashboard. Unlike other refractive errors, presbyopia remains a challenge for the refractive surgeon. There are many approaches for its correction but there is not a "gold standard" mainly because it is a progressive condition and we have not yet achieved the restoration of accommodation. In this chapter we will describe the different approaches to presbyopia correction.