Final answer:
Presbyopia is an age-related vision problem where the eye loses its ability to focus on close objects, often noticed after age 40, and is typically corrected with glasses.
Step-by-step explanation:
Presbyopia is a condition in which the lens of the eye loses its ability to focus, making it difficult to see objects up close. This common vision problem is associated with aging, and typically the first signs such as eyestrain, difficulty seeing in dim light, problems focusing on small objects, and fine print, are noticed between the ages of 40 and 50. Since presbyopia affects close vision, a Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) should offer assistance to patients with this condition when navigating through the clinic.
Presbyopia differs from other vision problems such as myopia (nearsightedness), where distant objects are out of focus, and hyperopia (farsightedness), where close objects are out of focus. Myopia is corrected with a diverging lens to reduce power, whereas hyperopia is corrected with a converging lens to increase power. Unlike myopia and hyperopia, which are often present from a younger age, presbyopia develops as a part of the natural aging process due to the loss of elasticity in the lens and weakening of the muscles that control the lens.
Most individuals with presbyopia require corrective lenses to focus on close objects since surgical procedures to correct presbyopia are not as advanced or successful as those for correcting myopia and hyperopia.