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TAKE THE LONG VIEW

Eyes are your window to the world, but the landscape starts to change as you leave your 30s. The telltale sign: noticing that you’re holding the menu at arm’s length. It doesn’t have to be all downhill from there, though. Here’s how to protect your vision—and even make peace with reading glasses.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANNA PARINI

Health

IN THE 50-IS-THE-NEW-40 (or 30) era, many women manage to take the appearance of fine wrinkles or a few extra pounds in stride— after all, there’s always the next state-of-theart skin serum or a new exercise class around the corner. But one universal sign of the passing years can’t be forestalled with products, workouts, or even massive amounts of kale: that dreaded moment when you stand squinting helplessly at a price tag. The gradual blurring of near vision that most people start to notice in their 40s, called presbyopia, tends to rankle women in particular, with nearly 40 percent saying the simple act of putting on a pair of reading glasses makes them feel old.

“For many people, it’s one of the first signs of aging—and it’s a bummer,” says Julia A. Haller, ophthalmologist-in-chief at Philadelphia’s Wills Eye Hospital. Presbyopia is also the most obvious signal that you’ll need to pay more attention to your eyesight than you may have in your carefree youth. “Healthy people can usually get away with just one eye exam in their 20s and two in their 30s, even if they wear glasses,” says Haller. “But starting at about age 40, you should get a thorough exam and start having your eyes checked at least every couple of years.”

That’s because as you age there are simply more things that can go wrong with your eyes, from dryness to more serious conditions. And it’s critical for a doctor to know if you have a family history of eye issues such as glaucoma or macular degeneration, or any underlying conditions; diabetes, for instance, can lead to diabetic retinopathy, the lead- ing cause of decreased vision in working-age Americans. Here’s what you can expect to see as your vision changes—and what to do to keep your eyes as healthy as possible.

Easy Reading

Schedule a comprehensive eye exam when you turn 40, or sooner if you notice you have trouble reading or performing close-up tasks comfortably. There is no cure for presbyopia, but the basic treatment is simple and inexpensive: reading glasses. “You can get prescription lenses, but drugstore glasses are just fine, and we recommend them to patients all the time,” says Kendall Donaldson, an associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at the University of Miami Health System. Drugstore readers are cheap enough that you can (and should!) buy several pairs and stash them in multiple rooms, handbags, and pockets.

“Readers typically range in power from +1 to +3.5 diopter, so try the lowest power first,” Donaldson suggests. The test is basic—just try on several pairs at increasing powers until you can read clearly at a distance that’s natural for you (usually about 12 to 15 inches). Most people need to increase the power gradually every few years by half a diopter or so until about age 65.

If you already wear glasses for distance, there’s good news: You don’t have to sport