Hyperopia

Also known as far-sightedness or long-sightedness, hyperopia is a condition in which it’s easier to see objects in the distance than close up. A typical example is when it becomes difficult to read a restaurant menu or the print of a newspaper, but easy to see someone clearly across the room. Hyperopia is different from presbyopia in that it occurs in people who are under the age of 45 (presbyopia is age related vision loss) and presbyopia is the loss of the eyes ability to change its focusing power.

It’s caused by one or the combination of having a flat cornea or a short eyeball, so that images focus at a point behind the retina. 

The cause of hyperopia is typically genetic.

Symptoms

Hyperopia often exists without symptoms until the age of 30 to 40 years as the eye can compensate for the abnormal focusing.  The symptoms of hyperopia are blurred vision and difficulty in seeing objects up close, but it is possible that a condition other than hyperopia might cause similar issues, so it’s necessary to consult an optometrist or ophthalmologist to determine this.

Assessing

Fortunately, the condition is usually easily assessed with an eye chart, although it may also be necessary to measure how the eyes focus light to determine the situation accurately.

Treatment

There are many potential solutions. Traditionally, they have included glasses or contact lenses. For more information on types of laser surgery, click here.