What is the best corrective action for presbyopia?

• A. Use a plano lens only
• B. Remove all magnification and rely on accommodation
• C. Correct with either a plano, plus or minus lens, and place additional power in the bifocal section to enable the pt to focus at near distances
• D. Use contact lenses only

Answer: (C)

Presbyopia is the age-related loss of the eye’s ability to focus on near objects, so the corrective goal is to provide near vision support while keeping distance vision clear. The best approach is to have a distance prescription that can be plano (no additional power at distance) or include a spherical correction as needed, and crucially add power for near tasks in the same lens—such as a bifocal section, or a multifocal/progressive design—so the wearer can focus properly at near distances without straining or relying on remaining accommodation. This near addition is what makes close work comfortable and functional.

Why this works better than the other options: a lens with no near addition won’t assist with close work, and presbyopes can’t rely on accommodation to change focus. Relying only on magnification changes or removing magnification ignores the need for near vision correction, and using contact lenses alone doesn’t universally address the distance and near requirements in a single pair of glasses.