Cataracts & age-related long-sightedness

Natural age-related changes in the eyes include cataracts and presbyopia. Both can be detected early and treated effectively during a routine eye examination.

Cataracts mainly affect older people: the risk increases significantly from around the age of 65, and almost all people over the age of 85 have already had surgery. The lens becomes cloudy, leading to gradual deterioration in vision, reduced contrast sensitivity, reduced colour perception and increased sensitivity to glare. Diabetes, injuries or medication can also be causes, but around 90% of cases are age-related. The diagnosis is made using a slit lamp, often before symptoms are noticeable. The only effective treatment is surgery to replace the cloudy lens with an artificial lens. This routine procedure usually restores vision completely. This procedure is not currently performed at Rudolfinerhaus, but we have an extensive network of referral partners. We are happy to provide you with pre- and post-operative care at Rudolfinerhaus. Any possible secondary cataracts can be treated directly at Rudolfinerhaus.

Presbyopia usually begins at the age of 40 due to the natural loss of elasticity in the lens. It manifests itself in increasing difficulty reading, the need to hold objects further away, and symptoms such as headaches or burning eyes. The progression varies from person to person.

The correction is made using reading glasses, which must be regularly adjusted to the changing visual acuity. For existing visual impairments, suitable solutions are selected – depending on the situation, reading glasses, varifocal glasses or special computer glasses. Individually tailored glasses ensure the best possible vision correction.