Is your vision getting blurrier after 40? It might be more than just screen fatigue

Let’s be real–if you’ve ever had to hold your phone a little further away to read a message, or felt your eyes blur out after one too many hours of staring at a screen, you’re not alone. You might chalk it up to “just being tired” or “bad lighting,” but it could actually be a very normal, very common condition called presbyopia.

It usually kicks in around your 40s (sometimes earlier, especially with our screen-heavy lifestyles), and it’s what happens when your eyes start struggling to focus up close. While the name sounds clinical, it’s something almost everyone will experience as they age—and yet, so many of us put off doing anything about it until it really starts affecting our daily lives. According to a recent ACUVUE® study shows 93% of Singaporeans aged 40 to 55 report symptoms of early presbyopia (blurry near vision), but most assume it’s screen fatigue or just tiredness. And with over a third leaving it uncorrected, these subtle shifts can quietly affect work, focus, and confidence.

In a recent interview with Daniel Zhang, an eye care professional at Mee Mee Optics, he shared some useful tips to give us a better understanding of what’s going on with our eyes—and what we can do about it. From busting myths about reading glasses to exploring why women tend to feel the impact more acutely, here’s everything you need to know about navigating presbyopia in your 30s and 40s.

What is presbyopia?

Presbyopia is what happens when we start having difficulty seeing things up close—like reading a message on our phone or small print on a document. It’s due to natural, age-related changes in the lens inside the eye affecting its flexibility.

Unlike myopia (short-sightedness) or astigmatism (blurry vision happens in all distances with increased glare, especially at night), presbyopia affects almost everyone eventually, typically beginning in our forties, as part of ageing.

The signs you might be missing

Does presbyopia only start in your 40s? Not quite. In fact, many people begin noticing early signs in their late 30s to early 40s. Daniel explains, “It might start as momentary blurriness when reading or subtle eye tiredness after prolonged hours of near work, especially under dim lighting or at night.”

These early signs, like eye fatigue or slight blur, are easy to brush off. But they’re often the first indicators that your eyes are working harder than before to focus up close.

Why does it affect women differently

When we’re younger, we rarely give our health a second thought—we just assume everything will work the same way 10 years from now. But the truth is, our ability to hear, process, and especially see clearly starts to change over time. As Daniel puts it, ”Many of my female patients tell me they feel frustrated when they suddenly need to hold their phone further away to read, or when their eyes feel strained just from an hour of computer work.”

According to an ACUVUE survey, about 68% of participants said they felt inconvenienced by changes in their vision, while 35% reported feeling worried and 33% felt frustrated, highlighting just how emotionally disruptive presbyopia can be.

“It’s not just a visual change, it can feel like an unwelcome reminder of ageing, and that understandably carries emotional weight for everyone, me included,” Daniel says.

He adds, “In my experience, women often notice subtle changes earlier and are more likely to seek help. That said, those who have never worn glasses before may hesitate because they feel glasses simply do not suit their look or lifestyle. Men, on the other hand, sometimes delay until the symptoms are impossible to ignore. But these are just general trends. Everyone approaches these changes differently, but there are real emotional and practical impacts that we all face with presbyopia.”

The myths we need to move past

One common myth about presbyopia is that it means your eyes are “failing” or that you shouldn’t do anything about it until your vision gets really bad. In reality, presbyopia happens to almost everyone as we age and addressing it early can make a big difference. By correcting it sooner, you reduce the strain on your eyes, which helps maintain clearer, more comfortable vision in the long run.

Daniel explains, “Some people assume that off-the-shelf reading glasses are good enough, but those don’t take into account things like dry eyes, binocular vision, or eye dominance factors that can all affect how clearly and comfortably you see. Others worry that wearing glasses or contact lenses will make their eyes weaker, but that simply isn’t true. What these tools actually do is relieve the strain your eyes are already under, which leads to sharper vision and less fatigue.”

Unfortunately, these common misconceptions often delay people from getting the professional support they need until the discomfort becomes too hard to ignore.

The risks of relying on these short-term “hacks”

Short-term hacks like increasing your font size and zooming in your phone maybe an easier way to view things while you’re on the go, but many fail to realise that these short-term hacks don’t address the underlying issue in the long run.

According to Daniel, “Relying solely on zooming or increasing font size will still cause eye strain, especially when switching between tasks or lighting conditions. Going for an eye check with a qualified optometrist will lead to better clarity, and we can work together to find a solution that best suits you. Getting real correction ensures you’re not just coping with suboptimal vision, you’re actually seeing more comfortably.”

How to proactively delay or manage the onset of presbyopia

In a world where screens take up more than half our day, building healthy eye habits isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential. A good rule of thumb, according to the Health Promotion Board, is to take a 5- to 10-minute break after every 30 to 40 minutes of screen time.

Daniel shares, “While we can’t completely prevent presbyopia, we can definitely adopt habits that support long-term eye health.” That means cutting back on prolonged screen use, making sure your lighting is bright enough when reading, and taking regular visual breaks. He also recommends using non-preservative lubricating eye drops to keep your eyes comfortable, especially in dry office environments. And most importantly? Get your eyes checked annually to catch early changes before they start disrupting your everyday life.

When to get help, and what to expect

If you’re starting to notice changes in your vision, don’t panic because it’s more common than you think. But it also wouldn’t hurt to pop by your optometrist for a quick check, just to make sure everything’s in order.

“Noticing near blur or visual fatigue is very common, and it doesn’t mean your eyes are in serious trouble,” Daniel explains. “A comprehensive assessment helps us understand your needs, and we’ll recommend solutions that suit your lifestyle and preferences.”

He adds, “You should see an optometrist as soon as you notice any changes in your vision, especially if they’re starting to affect your day-to-day or causing discomfort, blurriness, or pain.”