Presbyopia is treated by?

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, M.Sc Nursing Entrance Exam-2019

Explanation

Presbyopia is an age-related condition characterized by the gradual loss of the eye's ability to focus on near objects.
This occurs because the crystalline lens loses its elasticity and the ciliary muscles weaken, a process known as loss of accommodation.
A convex (converging) lens is used to correct presbyopia because it adds the necessary refractive power to focus light from near objects onto the retina.
This type of lens is also known as a 'plus' lens and is found in reading glasses.

Option B: A concave lens is a diverging lens used to correct myopia (nearsightedness). It would worsen the focusing issue for near objects in a person with presbyopia.
Option C: While a single pair of glasses can contain both lens types (bifocals or progressive lenses), the specific correction for the presbyopia component is the convex part. This option is incorrect because presbyopia itself is treated by a convex lens, not a combination.
Option D: While surgical options like LASIK (monovision), corneal inlays, or refractive lens exchange exist for presbyopia, they are not the primary or most common treatment. The standard and initial treatment is corrective eyeglasses.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Treatment of Presbyopia as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in screening for vision changes and educating patients about age-related eye conditions like presbyopia.
Patient education should include explaining that presbyopia is a normal part of aging and that reading glasses are a simple and effective solution.
Nurses should advise patients to have regular eye exams, especially after the age of 40, to detect presbyopia and other eye diseases like glaucoma and cataracts.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'Presbyopia'.
Recall the definition of presbyopia: an age-related difficulty in focusing on near objects.
Consider the physics of vision correction. To focus on near objects, the eye needs more converging power.
Evaluate the options: A convex lens is a converging lens that adds power. A concave lens is a diverging lens that reduces power.
Conclude that a convex lens is the appropriate correction to compensate for the eye's reduced focusing ability in presbyopia.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 261-263

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-275 of 550) p. 167-169

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