Know when to see an eye doctor

You can't see things that are far away.

Problem: Most nearsighted people, those who can see pretty well close up, for reading, but struggle to see distant objects, discover the problem by or in their teens. Nearsightedness usually stabilizes by age 16 in females and mid-20s for males.

Treatment: There's a nearly endless selection of eyeglass frames and contact lenses; laser surgery may also be effective.

You have trouble seeing objects up close.

Problem: If you're farsighted, highway signs may be crystal clear, but the morning paper may be fuzzy. Farsightedness is usually present at birth and tends to run in families.

Treatment: As with nearsighted-ness, eyeglasses, contact lenses and laser surgery are all ways of dealing with the problem.

Your eyesight is worsening with age.

Problem: Presbyopia, Latin for "old eye," may be the culprit. Eyes require elasticity in the lens to focus, and that diminishes with age, so it becomes harder to focus on things that are close to you.

Treatment: Try bifocals, lenses that have two prescriptions, one for close work and the other for distance; they come in the form of glasses or even contact lenses.