Can presbyopia and myopia cancel each other out?
Nov 19, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
If the degree of myopia is close to the degree of presbyopia required for near vision, for example in individuals with moderate myopia, after the onset of presbyopia, they may achieve temporarily clear near vision by removing their myopic glasses and using the refractive state of myopia to compensate for the diminished accommodation caused by presbyopia, creating an illusion of "cancellation." However, this situation only applies to near vision tasks; distance vision still requires wearing myopic glasses.
Under normal circumstances, presbyopia and myopia do not completely cancel each other out. Only some individuals with myopia may temporarily go without reading glasses when viewing near objects, but they still require correction for distance vision. The effect is not a true cancellation. If in doubt, it is recommended to consult a medical professional early. Detailed analysis is as follows:
If the degree of myopia is close to the degree of presbyopia required for near vision—such as in individuals with moderate myopia—after the onset of presbyopia, removing their myopic corrective lenses may allow them to use the refractive state of myopia to compensate for the diminished accommodation caused by presbyopia, temporarily achieving clear near vision. This creates an illusion of "cancellation." However, this only applies to near tasks; for distance viewing, myopia correction is still necessary to avoid blurriness. The underlying pathological mechanisms of both conditions remain unchanged.
If myopia is too mild or too severe, no such "cancellation" effect occurs. In individuals with mild myopia, even after removing their corrective lenses for near work following the onset of presbyopia, their vision may still be blurry, requiring low-powered reading glasses. For those with high myopia, removing their distance glasses for near viewing still results in images focusing behind the retina. They require specialized bifocal glasses or progressive multifocal lenses to meet both distance and near vision needs—there is no actual cancellation.
When experiencing changes in vision, individuals should visit a qualified institution for professional refraction testing to accurately determine both myopia and presbyopia levels. Self-diagnosis or random selection of eyeglasses should be avoided to prevent worsening eye strain. Regular eye examinations are essential, and corrective strategies should be adjusted promptly according to changes in prescription to ensure comfortable and clear vision.
