Hyperopia causes and treatments

As a common eye problem, hyperopia is opposite to myopia. This ocular disorder has several other names, e.g. farsightedness, longsightedness and hypermetropia. People with hyperopia can see distance objects clearly but have difficulty in seeing near objects. Hyperopic people may even get headache and eye strain if they spend much time on close work. Without the help from corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses, they always squint and feel fatigue while seeing near objects.

The principle of hyperopia

Another vision problem named presbyopia also causes a difficulty in seeing distant objects but it should not be confused with hyperopia. Hyperopia results from an irregular eyeball, which is relatively shorter than normal ones. It is also acceptable to think that the eye’s lens is not round enough. It is well-known that clear and normal vision requires light rays to be focused directly on the retina. A shorter eyeball causes light rays entering the eye to focus behind the retina, so that clear images are impossible to be perceived. Infants who are born with hyperopia may experience a relief as they age because the eyeball will increase in length.

Typical symptoms of hyperopia and its classification

Blurry vision is a common symptom experienced by myopic and hyperopic individuals. In addition, farsighted folks may also experience asthenopia, accommodative dysfunction, binocular dysfunction, amblyopia and strabismus. Hyperopia has different clinical appearances and severities, and various symptoms are caused. According to clinical appearance, there are simple hyperopia, pathological hyperopia and functional hyperopia.

Features of eyewear solutions to hyperopia

Just like myopia, hyperopia can also be corrected simply by eyeglasses or contact lenses with a proper prescription. Convex lenses are used to help focus light rightly on the retina. The prescription of the lenses begins with positive numbers such as +1.5. Prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses can be part-time wear or full-time wear, depending on the severity of hyperopia.

Proven and experimental surgery treatments

There are also some refractive surgeries that can correct an irregular eyeball permanently, eliminating completely the need for prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses after the surgery. Popular procedures with this capability include LASIK and PRK. Hyperopia procedures developed in the future may take use of corneal inlays and onlays.