Eyestrain is discomfort associated with prolonged reading or close work. Refractive error including presbyopia, inadequate illumination, and latent ocular deviation are the usual causes. Headache is rarely due to ocular disorders but is a major symptom of giant cell arteritis, an important cause of visual loss in older individuals.

Refractive errors are the most common cause of blurred vision, and may be a treatable component of poor vision in patients with other diagnoses. In emmetropia (the normal state), objects at infinity are seen clearly with the unaccommodated eye. Objects nearer than infinity are seen with the aid of accommodation, which increases the refractive power of the lens.

Presbyopia is the natural loss of accommodative capacity with age. Emmetropes usually notice inability to focus on objects at a normal reading distance at about age 45. Hyperopes experience symptoms at an earlier age. Presbyopia is corrected with plus lenses for near work. Various surgical techniques, particularly insertion of multifocal or accommodative intraocular lenses, are being evaluated.

Today, science has progressed to the point that it is possible to treat aging eyes or presbyopia, with multifocal contact lenses and not tell the entire world that one is getting older.

Multifocal contact lenses can be manufactured in different manners and focal patterns. One brand makes lenses that look similar to a bull’s eye pattern with the center being focused for near vision, a ring for far vision, a ring for near vision, and a ring for far vision.