Question

Using knowledge of prefixes and suffixes, a medical assistant should identify the term presbyopia as which of the following meanings?

1) Inflammation of the retina
2) Clouding of the lens
3) Impaired near vision with age
4) The ability to see objects at various distances

Answer 1

Presbyopia should be identified as impaired near vision with age, where the eye loses the ability to focus on close objects and requires corrective lenses for treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Using knowledge of prefixes and suffixes, a medical assistant should identify the term presbyopia as impaired near vision with age. This condition is associated with the eye's gradual loss of ability to focus on close objects due to a decrease in lens elasticity and weakening of the muscles that control the lens over time. Presbyopia is typically noticed between the ages of 40 and 50, and is often corrected with the use of corrective lenses or reading glasses, especially after procedures such as LASIK have corrected distant vision but not the reduced ability to focus on close objects.