Why do my eyes have trouble adjusting to different distances?

Question

My eyes take more than a second or two to adjust to varying distances. If I'm reading the paper & look up to see something on the TV, the TV image takes longer than a second or two to come into focus for me.

I'm 42 years old & have just begun experiencing this. I've gotten eye tests & they check out OK. I'm not quite ready for reading glasses but I've noticed holding something too close to my eyes causes more blurring than I'm accustomed to. Aging ain't grand.

Answer 1

if i were you , i would go and get a second opinion because that is not normal. you probably need to get tested for glaucoma. i was experiencing similar things at 45 yrs of age and had to get glasses. the tests did not reveal glaucoma. i am now 51 and need new glasses.

Answer 2

Gomer,

actually you ARE ready for reading glasses.  This is the earliest symptoms of presbyopia (the loss of smooth, flexible near focusing.)

Answer 3

Believe it or not, it sounds as if you are ready for reading glasses. Here's what's going on: Presbyopia, or difficulty focusing up close, begins to become noticeable in the early 40s. In its early stages, however, the muscle inside the eye that controls focusing, called the ciliary muscle, struggles to keep things in clear focus. When you then look in the distance (at the television, for example), your ciliary muscle essentially says, "Hey, I worked so hard to keep things in focus for you while you were reading, I'm not just going to relax so easily." It's not quite a spasm, but it takes a few seconds for it to give up, so to speak, and realize that you're now asking your eyes to focus far away. Reading glasses will help to relax your ciliary muscle and keep you more comfortable while reading.

Get your eyes examined and discuss your options with your doctor.

Answer 4

you are probably newly near or far sighted, it can come on without any indications. I never needed glasses while my whole family did then all of a sudden I started having problems seeing around the age of 8 and now I cannot see without them. I would suggest getting a second test, and maybe getting a physical or something cause it could be something in your brain affecting your eyesight.

Answer 5

You may be starting to get nears sighted wich means your eyes have to ajust from going from close to far to close...

and it just takes a little more time when you get older.