June 26, 2025 • 7 mins
Sam speaks with Specsavers optometry director, Greeshma Patel, about new research which shows three quarters of Australians aged 35 to 50 have never heard of a common age-related eye condition known as presbyopia, which is likely to be the cause of their vision issues.
Greeshma fills us in on the details about presbyopia, and the signs to look out for if you or someone you know may be living with the condition.
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Episode Transcript
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S1 (00:04):
New research shows that nearly three quarters of Australians aged
35 to 50 have never heard of a common age
related eye condition called presbyopia, which is likely causing their
vision issues. Individuals rely on temporary fixes to cope, masking
the condition and delaying timely diagnosis and treatment. Optometrists are
(00:29):
urging people to watch out for workarounds and if they
find themselves enlarging text, holding print at arm's length, or
having trouble seeing the dashboard when driving, particularly at night,
it's time to book an eye test and to have
a chat with me all about this. I have Greeshma Patel,
Specsavers optometrist, here to tell us all about presbyopia and
(00:55):
the new research Greeshma. Welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you
very much for your time today.
S2 (01:02):
Thanks, Dan.
S1 (01:03):
Now, firstly, Greeshma, can you tell us more about the
new research findings?
S2 (01:10):
So Specsavers have done a national survey, which has recently
found that a really common eye condition that affects adults
is actually something that a lot of adults aren't aware of.
Up to 72% of adults don't realize that they're going
through these midlife changes when they occur. So I want
(01:32):
to draw attention today to the fact that presbyopia, which
is this eye condition that affects a lot of people
around 40 years old, is quite normal. And I want
to go through some points on how to look out
for it and what to do if you start noticing symptoms.
S1 (01:48):
What are the risks associated with undiagnosed presbyopia?
S2 (01:53):
So I'll start by explaining what presbyopia is, and then
we can have a look at the risks. Because presbyopia
is essentially when your lens inside the eye just doesn't
work as well when it's trying to focus on a
near object. So what that means is your long distance
vision may still feel good, and you may still see
things clearly. But when you go to pick up your
(02:14):
phone to read or you pick up a book, you
may notice that your vision isn't as clear or as
comfortable as it used to be. Now, the risks associated
with presbyopia if it's undiagnosed, untreated, if we're not doing
anything about it and we're just putting up with this
strain when we're reading, is that possibly you misread your
medication labels? You may misread ingredients when you're at the supermarket,
(02:36):
and especially with certain contrast on labels. If you're not
looking at black on white, if you're looking at white
writing on a colored label, you may find that you
make mistakes. So those people that have allergies or sensitivities
that are trying to avoid certain ingredients in foods could struggle.
But I'd say more importantly, it's medication bottles and important instructions.
If you can't read, you'd be struggling and mistakes happen there.
S1 (02:58):
And greeshma what are some common misconceptions or some signs
that often lead people to overlook conditions like presbyopia?
S2 (03:09):
So I see this all the time, Sam. So a
lot of misconceptions about presbyopia and other eye conditions is
that if I go to see my optometrist because I'm
having this problem with reading, I'll end up getting glasses
and they will make my eyes worse. And that's not true.
So glasses can't make your eyesight worse. In fact, something
like presbyopia is a condition that occurs with or without intervention.
(03:31):
So the lens goes through natural changes as we age.
And unfortunately, I have to use that term, even though
we're talking about this happening in our 40s, the lens
starts to harden. In fact, it starts hardening a little
bit before that. But a lot of my patients will
notice that they're struggling to see things around the time
of their 40s. And this is the working age group.
(03:51):
So people that are using computers, they're reading documents, they're
on their phones and they're looking at detail. If we're
not picking up on these signs and symptoms early, it
slows you down at work. And it's where mistakes are made.
And it's just a harder day and actually ultimately can
cause headaches. But the most common misconception around this is
if I start wearing glasses, it's a downward slippery slope
(04:12):
and I'm going to need glasses forever, and it's going
to make my eyes worse. And I just want to
dispel that myth.
S1 (04:18):
Greeshma why is it so important to have regular eye tests,
especially as Australians do get older?
S2 (04:26):
So two parts of that, Sam actually. So Australia is
a place that we have a lot of UV exposure
and a lot of the time from childhood years. So
with a lot of UV exposure comes the risk of
developing UV related conditions. And with the eyes we're talking
about early stages of cataracts or macular degeneration. These are
conditions that can be exacerbated by UV exposure. So over time,
(04:49):
it's important to understand your risk and understand whether these
have impacted the eyes, whether it has impacted the eyes.
Things like smoking can cause premature problems with eyes as
well and certain health conditions like diabetes. So having these
tests done, having your eyes tested from an early age,
even before you start noticing symptoms is really useful because
(05:10):
if there is something to monitor, we can do that
in optometry now, especially at Specsavers, we offer 3D retinal
scan called CT scanning, which is really useful in the
diagnosing and detecting eye conditions a lot earlier than if
we were just to not present grotesque, but certainly if
we were to use traditional methods. So things like glaucoma
(05:32):
and macular disease can be picked up a lot sooner.
Just need to present yourself. And eye tests are bulk
billed these days, so there's no charge, no cost to you.
Just popping in for a test for thoroughness is useful,
and especially if you're having symptoms. Don't hang about. Go
and get your eyes tested, because sometimes what seems as
though it could be a very simple focusing problem could
actually be an underlying eye condition. And this is when
(05:55):
we want to pick these things up early.
S1 (05:57):
On that note, finally, where can Australians go to learn
more or to book an eye test?
S2 (06:04):
So you can pop onto our website Specsavers. Com.au A
list of common eye conditions are on there stores that
you can book in for an eye examination. An opportunity
to book your Medicare card in there so you know
it's going to be bulk billed. And there's probably a
Specsavers close to you wherever you are or within reasonable distance.
So hopefully we're widely accessible. So pop in when you can.
(06:27):
And if you're walking past a practice and you're not
sure if you'll get that chance again because you're busy,
just pop in on the off chance.
S1 (06:33):
Well, I've been speaking today with Grishma Patel, optometrist at Specsavers,
chatting to me today about presbyopia and the ways that
it can be treated. Greeshma, thank you so much for
your time today. It was great to catch up with you.
S2 (06:50):
Thank you Sam.
New research shows that nearly three quarters of Australians aged
35 to 50 have never heard of a common age
related eye condition called presbyopia, which is likely causing their
vision issues. Individuals rely on temporary fixes to cope, masking
the condition and delaying timely diagnosis and treatment. Optometrists are
(00:29):
urging people to watch out for workarounds and if they
find themselves enlarging text, holding print at arm's length, or
having trouble seeing the dashboard when driving, particularly at night,
it's time to book an eye test and to have
a chat with me all about this. I have Greeshma Patel,
Specsavers optometrist, here to tell us all about presbyopia and
(00:55):
the new research Greeshma. Welcome to Talking Vision. Thank you
very much for your time today.
S2 (01:02):
Thanks, Dan.
S1 (01:03):
Now, firstly, Greeshma, can you tell us more about the
new research findings?
S2 (01:10):
So Specsavers have done a national survey, which has recently
found that a really common eye condition that affects adults
is actually something that a lot of adults aren't aware of.
Up to 72% of adults don't realize that they're going
through these midlife changes when they occur. So I want
(01:32):
to draw attention today to the fact that presbyopia, which
is this eye condition that affects a lot of people
around 40 years old, is quite normal. And I want
to go through some points on how to look out
for it and what to do if you start noticing symptoms.
S1 (01:48):
What are the risks associated with undiagnosed presbyopia?
S2 (01:53):
So I'll start by explaining what presbyopia is, and then
we can have a look at the risks. Because presbyopia
is essentially when your lens inside the eye just doesn't
work as well when it's trying to focus on a
near object. So what that means is your long distance
vision may still feel good, and you may still see
things clearly. But when you go to pick up your
(02:14):
phone to read or you pick up a book, you
may notice that your vision isn't as clear or as
comfortable as it used to be. Now, the risks associated
with presbyopia if it's undiagnosed, untreated, if we're not doing
anything about it and we're just putting up with this
strain when we're reading, is that possibly you misread your
medication labels? You may misread ingredients when you're at the supermarket,
(02:36):
and especially with certain contrast on labels. If you're not
looking at black on white, if you're looking at white
writing on a colored label, you may find that you
make mistakes. So those people that have allergies or sensitivities
that are trying to avoid certain ingredients in foods could struggle.
But I'd say more importantly, it's medication bottles and important instructions.
If you can't read, you'd be struggling and mistakes happen there.
S1 (02:58):
And greeshma what are some common misconceptions or some signs
that often lead people to overlook conditions like presbyopia?
S2 (03:09):
So I see this all the time, Sam. So a
lot of misconceptions about presbyopia and other eye conditions is
that if I go to see my optometrist because I'm
having this problem with reading, I'll end up getting glasses
and they will make my eyes worse. And that's not true.
So glasses can't make your eyesight worse. In fact, something
like presbyopia is a condition that occurs with or without intervention.
(03:31):
So the lens goes through natural changes as we age.
And unfortunately, I have to use that term, even though
we're talking about this happening in our 40s, the lens
starts to harden. In fact, it starts hardening a little
bit before that. But a lot of my patients will
notice that they're struggling to see things around the time
of their 40s. And this is the working age group.
(03:51):
So people that are using computers, they're reading documents, they're
on their phones and they're looking at detail. If we're
not picking up on these signs and symptoms early, it
slows you down at work. And it's where mistakes are made.
And it's just a harder day and actually ultimately can
cause headaches. But the most common misconception around this is
if I start wearing glasses, it's a downward slippery slope
(04:12):
and I'm going to need glasses forever, and it's going
to make my eyes worse. And I just want to
dispel that myth.
S1 (04:18):
Greeshma why is it so important to have regular eye tests,
especially as Australians do get older?
S2 (04:26):
So two parts of that, Sam actually. So Australia is
a place that we have a lot of UV exposure
and a lot of the time from childhood years. So
with a lot of UV exposure comes the risk of
developing UV related conditions. And with the eyes we're talking
about early stages of cataracts or macular degeneration. These are
conditions that can be exacerbated by UV exposure. So over time,
(04:49):
it's important to understand your risk and understand whether these
have impacted the eyes, whether it has impacted the eyes.
Things like smoking can cause premature problems with eyes as
well and certain health conditions like diabetes. So having these
tests done, having your eyes tested from an early age,
even before you start noticing symptoms is really useful because
(05:10):
if there is something to monitor, we can do that
in optometry now, especially at Specsavers, we offer 3D retinal
scan called CT scanning, which is really useful in the
diagnosing and detecting eye conditions a lot earlier than if
we were just to not present grotesque, but certainly if
we were to use traditional methods. So things like glaucoma
(05:32):
and macular disease can be picked up a lot sooner.
Just need to present yourself. And eye tests are bulk
billed these days, so there's no charge, no cost to you.
Just popping in for a test for thoroughness is useful,
and especially if you're having symptoms. Don't hang about. Go
and get your eyes tested, because sometimes what seems as
though it could be a very simple focusing problem could
actually be an underlying eye condition. And this is when
(05:55):
we want to pick these things up early.
S1 (05:57):
On that note, finally, where can Australians go to learn
more or to book an eye test?
S2 (06:04):
So you can pop onto our website Specsavers. Com.au A
list of common eye conditions are on there stores that
you can book in for an eye examination. An opportunity
to book your Medicare card in there so you know
it's going to be bulk billed. And there's probably a
Specsavers close to you wherever you are or within reasonable distance.
So hopefully we're widely accessible. So pop in when you can.
(06:27):
And if you're walking past a practice and you're not
sure if you'll get that chance again because you're busy,
just pop in on the off chance.
S1 (06:33):
Well, I've been speaking today with Grishma Patel, optometrist at Specsavers,
chatting to me today about presbyopia and the ways that
it can be treated. Greeshma, thank you so much for
your time today. It was great to catch up with you.
S2 (06:50):
Thank you Sam.
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