Presbyopia Treatment in Washington

Presbyopia Treatment in Washington

Are you over 40? Struggle to read fine print?

(202) 659-6555

What is Presbyopia?

Presbyopia is an age-related vision condition that causes near objects to appear blurry. It typically starts in a person’s 40’s, when the lens of the eye begins to stiffen and lose flexibility. This makes it difficult to focus on nearby objects.

Presbyopia can significantly impact your quality of life. Regular daily activities like reading books, instruction manuals and food labels, scrolling through your phone, threading a needle and other close-up tasks can become daunting.

The good news is, with the help of Metropolitan Optical – Pennsylvania Ave., this common vision condition can be effectively managed, so you won’t have to compromise on your quality of life.

normal eye compaed to an ey with presbyopia


Presbyopia Treatment Options

  • Eyeglasses

    • Prescription reading glasses
    • Bifocals: for distance and near vision correction
    • Progressive multifocals: see objects at a near, intermediate or far distance
  • Contact lenses

    • Bifocal contact lenses: different sections for reading and distance prescriptions
    • Monovision contact lenses: distance prescription in one eye and reading prescription in the other eye
  • Laser surgery

    Changes the shape of the cornea to correct vision. Some examples include:

    • LASIK
    • LASEK
    • Photorefractive keratectomy
  • Lens implant

    An eye surgeon removes your natural lens and replaces it with an intraocular lens. This new lens is flexible and can restore your ability to focus on near objects.

See better and feel your best with Metropolitan Optical – Pennsylvania Ave.


Presbyopia Diagnosis Treatment FAQs

What is presbyopia treatment?

Presbyopia treatment corrects age-related farsightedness to enable you to see close-up objects, such as books and electronic screens more clearly. Treatments include:

  • Eyeglasses
  • Contact lenses
  • Laser surgery
  • Lens implants
Can presbyopia be cured?

Currently, there is no cure. The good news is that our optometrists can recommend a variety of treatment options to help you see your best, from near to far.

How do I know if I have presbyopia?

If you’re over 40 and struggle with any of the following, you may have presbyopia.

  • Holding a book or a screen at arm’s length to see it more clearly
  • Needing larger print or font size to read
  • Blurry vision while reading
  • Difficulty reading in dim light
  • Eye strain and headaches when focusing on near objects

If you have one or more of these signs, schedule an eye exam and ask us about glasses, contact lenses, or other presbyopia treatment options.

Are bifocals right for me?

If it’s hard for you to read and to see things at a distance, bifocals may be your perfect solution. With bifocals, you can get two prescriptions in one. One corrects farsightedness and the other corrects nearsightedness. We offer several different types of bifocal lenses to suit your personal preference.


Meet our Presbyopia Diagnosis Treatment Specialists

Patient Reviews
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172 Reviews
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- Mar. 28, 2025
I've been coming to Metropolitan Optical for many, many years and always received excellent service ... and advice. Dr. Ayalu is terrific!
- Mar. 24, 2025
Metropolitan Optical has been handling my eye care needs for almost 20 years. The best eye specialis... ts in the Washington, DC , Maryland and Virginia area. Please make appointment and you will understand why. Very prompt, courteous and knowledgeable staff.
- Mar. 08, 2025
Highly recommend Metropolitan Optical for anyone looking for an eye-doctor or new frames! It is evid... ent how Dr. Ayalew cares for her patients -- always making sure to squeeze us in because she prioritizes our health. She takes time to explain what's going on and makes sure to develop a care plan that is realistic. The rest of the team are just awesome -- from spending time to make sure that your frames fit and look perfect to making sure that you are scheduled for your next appoint
- Feb. 27, 2025
Have been coming here for over 3 years and it’s great! Wonderful and knowledgeable staff.
- Jan. 14, 2025
Dr Salsa Ayalew is great. She is very patient and clearly communicates what is going on during the ... exam and the appropriate next steps. Dee is also great with helping to select great frames and is responsive to style and pricing concerns.
- Jan. 03, 2025
High professionalism and courtesy.
- Oct. 20, 2024
Excellent care from Dr Saba and excellent customer service
- Oct. 18, 2024
Great place for my eye care! Very satisfied.
- Sep. 14, 2024
Top Tier service is always received at every level when I visit Metropolitan Optical!
- Sep. 13, 2024
Doctor and every staff are very friendly and good customers service, also they explain every step un... til you get discharge. Excellent
- Sep. 13, 2024
Dr. Ayalew and every staff member give the highest quality customer service.
- Aug. 30, 2024
Great professional optical services. I’ve purchased prescription glasses twice with Metropolitan ... in last year. Customer service is excellent. High quality and reasonably priced frames. Paul at the Penn Ave shop most recently helped me with selecting non-slip prescription glasses for working out. Very happy with them and the Lunor glasses purchased in 2023.
- Nov. 07, 2023
Dr. Ayalew is an exceptional eye doctor who goes above and beyond for her patients. I recently had a... n eye emergency on a Sunday night and emailed her, she replied st 5 am instructing me to come in first thing in the morning. I know she squeezed me in because I was unable to schedule the appointment online. Upon arriving I was literally greeted at the door and taken straight to the exam room. (I’m sure this isn’t always the case so I don’t want to build any unrealistic expectations, same goes for emailing on a Sunday night, but this was my experience today so I’m just sharing factual events) Dr. Ayalew thoroughly examined my eyes, patiently explaining the condition and answering all my questions. Her expertise and genuine concern for my well-being are always evident at my appointments. My insurance switched a few years ago and metropolitan optical doesn’t take my new insurance but Dr Ayalew is so good I go to her anyway and pay out of pocket, money speaks louder than words — this is greatest endorsement I could give any doctor. Over the past 25 years living in DC, I've consulted with several optometrists. Without a doubt, Dr. Ayalew stands out as the best in my opinion. Her combination of expertise, compassion, and patient-centric approach is unmatched. I highly recommend her to anyone seeking exceptional eye care
- Sep. 26, 2023
Love this place! Everyone is professional and has their masks on. They are able to repair my glasses... within 10 minutes. Will recommend this place to anyone in DC area.
- Sep. 23, 2023
I simply do not understand the negative comments about the staff. I will chalk it up to a bad day. H... ave been seeing Dr. Ayalew for nearly two decades. She is great and her staff is friendly and efficient.
- Sep. 20, 2023
Dr. Ayalew was great! Personable, professional, knowledgeable and very thorough.
- Sep. 18, 2023
Big fan of Dr. Ayalew. She is highly knowledgeable, takes the time to listen to my questions and con... cerns, and is always warm and friendly. Staff at the practice are also terrific.
- Jun. 26, 2023
I came to the office 15 minutes early and immediately taken care of. The staff was friendly and eff... icient. Once, I met with the doctor, she provided all relevant info and answered my questions. Very satisfied.
- Apr. 28, 2023
As a tourist from another country I stopped in this shop to have my daugther’s glasses fixed (she ... had lost a nose pad). They were super nice and fixed the issue on the spot. Thanks!
- Apr. 24, 2023
Dr. Ayalew and her entire staff are fantastic. I switched to her practice a few years ago when my p... revious doctor retired and have been incredibly happy ever since. She is thorough, thoughtful and very knowledgeable. I have an eye condition that requires regular monitoring and correction and she has helped me understand the challenges, solutions and what to expect as I age. Everyone in the office is knowledgeable, helpful and thorough too. In fact, I raved about how great my first experience was so much that my wife started going to her too. Now she won't go anywhere else either. Top notch!

View All 172 Reviews

Presbyopia Management in Washington

Our optometry practice in Washington

Photograph of Saba Ayalew
Hours
  • Monday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Tuesday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Wednesday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Thursday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  • Saturday Closed
  • Sunday Closed
Insurance Plans
  • Care First
  • Aetna
  • Davis Vision
  • VSP
  • EyeMed

men wearing glasses for presbyopia

Is presbyopia impacting your daily life?

Want to see clearly and enjoy a higher quality of life?

(202) 659-6555