As we age, things start to fall apart. You cant run as fast as you used to. You develop aches and pains all over. You seem to get sicker, and more often. And, of course, your vision begins to deteriorate. To put it bluntly, getting older is a real bummer.

I am writing this editorial from the surgical waiting room at Pennsylvania Hospital. A few weeks ago, my husband received what he referred to as the worst birthday gift ever: a numb leg, caused by years of back problems, and a recommendation from his doctor that he undergo surgery right away in the hopes that he regains some of the strength of yesteryear. There is nothing good about getting older, he grumbled as he was escorted to the operating room.

Maybe hes right. Certainly, I would not have been so cruel as to find fault with what he was saying at the moment he was heading off to surgery. Still, I am wondering as I sit here, trying desperately to busy myself: Is getting old really all that bad? There must be some benefits beyond the old clichswisdom and more disposable income.

How many of your patients cheer when you tell them they have presbyopia? Let me guess. Zero.

Now, let me ask you this: How many of your patients return for follow-up happier with their vision than they were before you delivered that dreaded diagnosis? I hope the answer is most of them. If its not, you either have a cranky patient or a stubborn one who wont heed your advice about the exciting new options for presbyopesoptions that truly can deliver a new lease on life.

My husband is out of surgery now. (Im a slow typist . . . and an even slower writer.) The doctor says that, with regular exercise, the problems hes been experiencing since his early 20s will be nothing more than a bad memory. Well be able to take that ski trip to Aspen (great for me), he can golf again (not so great for me), and best of all, hell be able to pick up his little girl when she runs into his arms the minute he walks through the front door, happier and healthier than hes ever been.

Aging presented an opportunity for our family to finally take care of a problem thats plagued my husband for a long time. With the right treatments and counseling, your presbyopic patients can be just as fortunate.