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inSIGHT

Abstract

Presbyopia, or the age-related decline in the ability to focus on near objects, is a common vision disorder that affects 1.8 billion people globally, with this number expected to increase to 2.1 billion by 2030.1-4 A diminished accommodation response is the primary cause of presbyopia.1 The eye has a very complex accommodation mechanism that permits people to distinctly see objects from various distances.1,3 Even though the precise mechanism of accommodation is yet to be determined, the current evidence strongly supports Helmholtz’s theory, which claims that the thickness and curvature of the eye’s lens increase while its diameter decreases following the contraction of ciliary muscles, which subsequently leads to an increase in lenticular power, and hence, the eye’s accommodation.1,2 Although it has been proposed that weakening of the ciliary muscles may contribute to presbyopia, the decrease in the elasticity of the lens has been widely accepted to be the chief cause of presbyopia.3 Currently, about 85% of individuals 40 years and older have presbyopia, with an estimated 128 million people living with presbyopia in the United States alone.3,4 Given the prevalence of this age-related condition in an aging population, advancements in treatment for presbyopia have the potential to affect many lives.

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