Description

Farsightedness (hyperopia) is a common vision condition in which you can clearly see distant objects, but objects nearby may be blurry.

The degree of hyperopia affects your ability to focus. People with severe farsightedness may be able to see objects clearly only a great distance, while those with mild farsightedness may be able to clearly see objects that are closer.

Farsightedness usually is present at birth and tends to run in families. You can easily correct this condition with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Another treatment option is surgery.

Symptoms

Hyperopia (farsightedness) can mean:

  • Nearby objects may appear blurry
  • You need to squint to see clearly
  • You have the tiredness of the view, including burning eyes and pain in or around the eyes
  • You have the eyes of discomfort or a headache after doing near tasks such as reading, writing, computer work or drawing, and for a time

When to see a doctor

If your degree of hyperopia is pronounced enough that you can't perform a task as well as you want to, or if the quality of your vision detracts from their enjoyment of the activities, consult an ophthalmologist. He or she can determine the degree of your farsightedness and advise you of options to correct your vision.

Since it may not always be clear that you are having problems with your vision, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the following time intervals for regular eye exams:

Adults

If you are at high risk of certain eye diseases, like glaucoma, get a dilated eye exam every two years, starting at age 40.

If you do not wear glasses or contact lenses, have no symptoms of vision problems, and are at a low risk of developing eye diseases, such as glaucoma, get an eye exam in the following ranges:

  • An initial examination to 40
  • Every two or four years between the ages of 40 and 54
  • Every one to three years between the ages of 55 and 64
  • Every one to two years beginning at the age of 65 years

If you wear glasses or contact lenses or have a health condition that affects the eyes, such as diabetes, it is likely that you will need to have your eyes regularly. Ask your eye doctor how often you need to schedule your appointments. But, if you notice problems with your vision, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible, even if you have recently had an eye exam. Blurred vision, for example, may suggest the need for a prescription change, or it could be a sign of another problem.

Children and adolescents

Children need to be screened for eye diseases and vision evaluated by a pediatrician, ophthalmologist, optometrist or other trained filter in the following ages and intervals.

  • The age of 6 months
  • 3 years of age
  • Before first grade and every two years during the school years, in well-child visits, or through the school or public screenings

Causes

The eye has two parts that focus images:

  • The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped front surface of the eye.
  • The lens is a clear structure about the size and shape of an M&M's candy.

In a normal shape of the eyes, each one of these elements of approach has a perfectly smooth curvature, like the surface of marble. The cornea and the lens with the curvature of the bend (refract) all the lights to make a well-focused image directly on the retina, in the back of your eye.

A refractive error

If the cornea or lens is not uniform, and gently curved, light rays aren't refracted properly, and you have a refractive error.

Farsightedness occurs when the eyeball is shorter than normal or the cornea is curved too little. The effect is the opposite of myopia.

Other refractive errors

In addition to the farsightedness, other refractive errors are:

  • Myopia (nearsightedness). Myopia usually occurs when the eyeball is longer than normal or the cornea is steep curve. Instead of being focused precisely on your retina, the light focuses in front of the retina, resulting in a blurry appearance of distant objects.
  • The astigmatism. This occurs when the cornea or lens is curved more pronounced in one direction than in another. Without correcting the astigmatism blurs your vision.

Complications

Hyperopia may be associated with several problems, such as:

  • Crossed eyes. Some children with hyperopia can develop crossed eyes. Specially designed glasses to correct in part or in whole of hyperopia can treat this problem.
  • Reduction of the quality of life. With the lack of correction of hyperopia, you might not be able to perform a task as well as you want to. And your vision is limited and can undermine the enjoyment of day-to-day.
  • The tiredness of the view. The lack of correction of hyperopia can cause you to squint or strain your eyes to hold the attention. This can lead to visual fatigue and headaches.
  • Deterioration of the security. Your own safety and the safety of others may be in danger if you have a vision without correcting the problem. This could be especially serious if you are driving a car or operating heavy machinery.
  • The financial burden. The cost of corrective lenses, eye examinations and medical treatments can add up, especially with a chronic condition, such as farsightedness.

Diagnosis

Hyperopia is diagnosed by a basic eye exam, which includes an assessment of refraction and an eye health exam.

A refraction assessment determines if you have vision problems such as myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism or presbyopia. Your doctor may use various instruments, and to ask you to look through several lenses to the test of distance and near vision.

Your eye doctor will likely put drops in the eyes to dilate the pupils for eye health examination. This may make your eyes more sensitive to light for a couple of hours after the test. Dilation allows your doctor to see visions in the interior of their eyes.

Treatment

The goal of treatment of hyperopia is to help focus light on the retina through the use of corrective lenses or refractive surgery.

Prescription lenses

In the young, the treatment is not always necessary because the lens of the lens inside of the eye are flexible enough to compensate for the condition. Depending on the degree of hyperopia, you may need prescription lenses to improve their near vision. This is especially likely in the extent to which the age, and the lenses in your eyes become less flexible.

Use prescription lenses is hyperopia by counteracting the decrease of the curvature of the cornea or the smaller (in length) of your eye. Types of prescription lenses include:

  • The glasses. This is a simple, safe way to sharpen the vision caused by hyperopia. The variety of contact lenses is very wide and includes single vision, bifocals, trifocals and progressive multifocals.
  • The contact lenses. These lenses are used to the right in their eyes. They are available in a variety of materials and designs, including soft and rigid gas permeable in combination with spherical, toric, multifocal and monovision designs. Ask your eye doctor about the pros and cons of contact lenses and what might be best for you.

Refractive surgery

Although the majority of refractive surgical procedures used to treat myopia, which can also be used for mild to moderate cases of hyperopia. These surgical treatments to correct farsightedness by reshaping the curvature of the cornea. The refractive surgery methods include:

  • Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). With this procedure, the surgeon makes a thin, hinged flap in the cornea. He or she then uses a laser to adjust the curves of the cornea which corrects farsightedness. The LASIK surgery recovery is generally faster and causes less discomfort than other types of surgery of cornea.
  • Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK). The surgeon creates an ultra-thin flap only in the cornea of the outer protective cover (epithelium). He or she then uses a laser to reshape the cornea's outer layer, changing its curve, and then replaces the epithelium.
  • Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). This procedure is similar to LASEK , except the surgeon completely removes the epithelium, then uses the laser to reshape the cornea. The epithelium is not replaced, but is going to grow back naturally, as the cornea of the new form.

Talk with your doctor about the possible side effects of refractive surgery.

Lifestyle and home remedies

You can't prevent farsightedness, but you can help to protect your eyes and your vision follow the following tips:

  • Have your eyes checked. Do this regularly, even if you see well.
  • Control of chronic health conditions. Certain conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, can affect your vision if not treated.
  • Protect your eyes from the sun. Wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet radiation (UV).
  • To prevent eye injuries. Wear protective eyewear when doing certain things, such as sports, mowing the lawn, painting or making use of other products with toxic gases.
  • Eat healthy foods. Try to eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, and fruits. And studies show that your eyes will benefit if you also include in your diet fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as tuna and salmon.
  • Do not smoke. Just as the habit of smoking is not good for the rest of your body, smoking can affect the health of the eyes as well.
  • Use the right corrective lenses. The right lenses optimize your vision. Have regular checkups will ensure that your prescription is correct.
  • The use of good lighting. Up or add light to see better.
  • Reduce visual fatigue. Look away from your computer or close to the task force, including the reading, every 20 minutes for 20 seconds at something 20 feet away.

See your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms: Sudden loss of vision in one eye, with or without pain; sudden hazy or blurred vision, double vision; or visual flashes of light, black spots or halos around lights. This may represent a serious medical or ocular disease.

Preparing for your appointment

There are three types of specialists of various diseases of the eyes:

  • The ophthalmologist. This is an eye specialist with a doctor of medicine (M. D.) or a doctor of osteopathy (D. O.) degree, followed by a residency. Ophthalmologists are trained to provide comprehensive eye evaluations, prescribe corrective lenses, diagnose and treat common and complex disorders of the eyes, and perform eye surgery.
  • Optometrist. An optometrist is a doctor of optometry (O. D.) degree. Optometrists are trained to provide comprehensive eye evaluations, prescribe corrective lenses, and diagnose and treat common eye disorders.
  • Optician. An ophthalmologist is a specialist who helps people in the form of glasses or contact lenses, the use of prescriptions from ophthalmologists and optometrists. Some states require opticians to be licensed. Opticians are not trained to diagnose or treat eye diseases.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

  • If you already wear glasses, bring them to your appointment. Your doctor has a device that can determine what type of prescription you have. If you wear contact lenses, bring an empty contact lens case each type of contact you use.
  • Tell your doctor about any symptoms you have, such as difficulty reading up close or difficulty driving at night, and when they began.
  • Make a list of all the medicines, vitamins, and other supplements that you take, including over-dose.
  • List of questions to ask your doctor.

In hyperopia, questions to ask your doctor include:

  • When I need to use corrective lenses?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of the glasses?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of the contacts?
  • How often should I have my eyes examined?
  • They are more permanent treatments, such as surgery of the eyes, an option for me?
  • Do you have brochures or other printed material I can have?
  • What sites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask you questions, such as:

  • How severe are the symptoms?
  • Does your vision improve if you squint your eyes, or move the objects closer or further away?
  • Do others in your family use of corrective lenses? Do you know how old they were when they began to have problems with your vision?
  • When did you start wearing glasses or contact lenses?
  • Do you have any serious medical problems, such as diabetes?
  • Have you started any new medications, supplements or herbal preparations?
Symptoms and treatment of Hyperopia