Adaptation to progressive lenses by presbyopes

All humans will become presbyopic as part of the aging process where the eye losses the ability to focus at different depths. Progressive additive lenses (PALs) allow a person to focus on objects located at near versus far by combing lenses of different strengths within the same spectacle. However, it is unknown why some patients easily adapt to wearing these lenses while others struggle and complain of vertigo, swim, and nausea as well as experience difficulties with balance. Sixteen presbyopes (nine who adapted to PALs and seven who had tried but could not adapt) participated in this study. This research investigated vergence dynamics and its adaptation using a short-term motor learning experiment to assess the ability to adapt. Vergence dynamics were on average faster and the ability to change vergence dynamics was also greater for presbyopes who adapted to progressive lenses compared to those who could not. Data suggest that vergence dynamics and its adaptation may be used to predict which patients will easily adapt to progressive lenses and discern those who will have difficulty.