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Retina Cataract Presbyopia Dry Eye Our Doctor Directions 한국어 사이트 +82-2-553-3588

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When small print
starts to blur

Presbyopia is not weaker eyesight. It is the loss of the eye's ability to shift focus up close.
The difficulty is that a cataract often starts in the same years.

Focus, not sharpness,
is what is lost

To look at something close, the lens inside the eye thickens and pulls focus in. With age the lens stiffens and the muscle that shapes it weakens, so near focus becomes hard to hold. That is presbyopia.

It is a change rather than a disease, and it reaches everyone. The complication is that cataract begins in the same decade, and early on the two feel similar.

If you have started holding your phone further away, it is worth checking whether near vision is the only thing involved.

How much time off do I need after presbyopia correction?
Most people return to normal daily activity within one to two days. For about a month, avoid heavy lifting, rubbing the eyes, saunas and swimming. Recovery varies with the condition of the eye.

Presbyopia or cataract?

They feel alike, but the cause and the treatment are not the same.

WhenPresbyopiaCataract

Looking into the distance

Presbyopia

Unchanged and clear

Cataract

Hazy even far away

Reading small print

Presbyopia

Blurred until you hold it further away

Cataract

Still hazy however far you hold it

With reading glasses

Presbyopia

Clear again, at least for now

Cataract

A new prescription does not help

In bright light

Presbyopia

Little difference from dim light

Cataract

Glare makes seeing harder, not easier

How colours look

Presbyopia

The same as before

Cataract

Duller and more yellow

The two often arrive together, and only direct examination of the lens separates them. More on cataract

What to do now

The right step depends on how far presbyopia has gone and whether a cataract is forming.
Surgery is not the starting point. Knowing where you are is.

Early, no cataractReading glasses or progressive lenses are usually enough. An accurate prescription alone removes most of the strain
Cataract beginningThe degree of lens clouding is measured. If it is early, we follow it and choose the timing together
At cataract surgeryPresbyopia can be addressed through the choice of intraocular lens, depending on the eye and on how you use it
Retinal checkAfter forty the retina is examined alongside the lens. Retinal disease is sometimes found in patients who came about reading vision

Addressing presbyopia at cataract surgery

Not the most expensive lens, but the one that fits how you actually use your eyes.

Near to far

Trifocal

Covers near, intermediate and distance, reducing dependence on glasses.

Less night glare

Extended depth of focus

Fewer night-time halos, with sharp distance and intermediate vision.

Astigmatism

Toric

Corrects astigmatism alongside the cataract, and can be combined with other designs.

One distance

Monofocal

A single focal distance with excellent clarity there. Covered by Korean national health insurance.

A multifocal lens does not suit every eye. The decision follows measurement of the cornea, retina and astigmatism. More on lens choice

Frequently asked

How long does the examination take?
Allow 60 to 90 minutes. Imaging, reading and diagnosis are completed together in the same visit. If dilating drops are used, the time for them to take effect is included. Please plan for the full window.
At what age does presbyopia start?
Most people notice it in their early forties, though the timing varies with your original prescription, your work and your habits. People who were short-sighted sometimes notice it later because near vision is still comfortable without glasses.
Does wearing reading glasses make presbyopia worse?
No. Reading glasses have no effect on how presbyopia progresses. Struggling on with the wrong prescription simply causes more eye strain and headaches.
Can presbyopia be corrected surgically?
When a cataract is also developing, presbyopia can be addressed through the choice of intraocular lens at cataract surgery. In an eye without cataract, suitability depends on the individual measurements and is decided after examination.
I thought it was presbyopia but I was told it is a cataract.
The two commonly overlap. Blurring of near vision alone points to presbyopia, while haze at all distances with glare points to cataract. Only direct examination of the lens separates them reliably.

Find out which one
it actually is

Whether near vision is the only problem, or the lens has begun to cloud,
is settled by examination. Imaging and reading are finished in one visit.

+82-2-553-3588 How to get here

Whether and when to operate, and which lens to use, depend on your measurements and are decided in consultation.