Farsightedness

Nearsightedness is a common vision problem where you can see things far away clearly, but things up close might be blurry.

The severity of the problem affects how well you can focus. People with very nearsightedness might only see things far away clearly, while those with a mild case might be able to see things closer, though still a bit blurry.

Nearsightedness is often present from birth and can sometimes run in families. It's easily corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or in some cases, surgery.

Having trouble seeing things up close? You might have farsightedness.

Signs of farsightedness:

• Blurry close-up vision: Objects near you might look fuzzy.
• Squinting: You might need to squint to see clearly.
• Eye strain: Your eyes might feel tired, sore, or even burn. You might get headaches or aches around your eyes, especially after doing close-up work like reading, writing, using a computer, or drawing.
• General eye discomfort: You might feel uncomfortable or have headaches after doing close-up work for a while.

If farsightedness is affecting your ability to do things you want to do, or if your vision is causing problems, see an eye doctor. They can determine how severe your farsightedness is and recommend ways to improve your vision.

How often should you see an eye doctor?

It's important to get regular eye exams, even if you don't notice any problems. The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends these general guidelines:

General Recommendations:

• High Risk: If you have a higher chance of eye diseases like glaucoma, get a dilated eye exam every year or two, starting at age 40.
• Low Risk: If you don't wear glasses or contacts, have no eye symptoms, and have a low risk of eye diseases like glaucoma:
  • Age 40: Initial exam.
  • Ages 40-54: Every two to four years.
  • Ages 55-64: Every one to three years.
  • Age 65 and older: Every one to two years.
• If you wear glasses or contacts, or have an eye condition like diabetes: Talk to your eye doctor about how often you should get checked. It's likely you'll need more frequent visits.

Important Note: If you notice any vision problems, like blurry vision, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor right away. This is true even if you've recently had an eye exam. A change in vision could mean you need a new prescription, or it could be a sign of a different problem.

Children's Eye Exams:

Children need regular eye screenings to catch potential issues early. These are recommended screening guidelines:

• 6 Months: Vision screening.
• 3 Years: Vision screening.
• Before First Grade and Every Two Years After: Vision screening during well-child visits or through school or public screenings.

These guidelines are for general information only. It's always best to talk to your doctor or an eye care professional for personalized advice.

If your vision problems are affecting your daily activities or making it hard to enjoy things, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor. They can assess the severity of your farsightedness and discuss different ways to improve your vision.

Vision problems aren't always obvious, so regular eye exams are crucial. The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests these guidelines:

For people at higher risk of eye diseases (like glaucoma): It's important to get a comprehensive eye exam every year or two, starting at age 40. This type of exam uses special drops to widen your pupils (dilated exam) to allow a thorough look at the back of your eyes. This is especially important for people with a family history of glaucoma or other eye conditions.

For people with low risk of eye disease and no current symptoms:

• Age 40: Initial eye exam.
• Ages 40-54: Every 2-4 years.
• Ages 55-64: Every 1-3 years.
• Age 65 and older: Every 1-2 years.

If you wear glasses, contacts, or have a health condition that affects your eyes (like diabetes): You likely need more frequent eye exams. Talk to your eye doctor about the best schedule for you. Even if you recently had an exam, if you notice any vision changes like blurry vision, schedule an appointment right away. Vision changes can be a sign of needing a new prescription or another problem.

Children's Eye Health: Children need regular vision screenings to catch any potential eye problems early. These screenings should be done at these ages and intervals:

• 6 months: Initial vision screening.
• 3 years: Vision screening.
• Before first grade: Vision screening.
• Every two years during school: Regular vision screenings at well-child checkups, or through school or public programs.

These screenings are often done by pediatricians, ophthalmologists, optometrists, or other trained professionals. Early detection and treatment of eye problems are important for a child's development and overall health.

Your eye is a tiny, intricate machine, about an inch across. It takes in a huge amount of information from the world around you, and your brain quickly interprets it.

Normally, your eye focuses images perfectly onto a special layer at the back called the retina. But in farsightedness, the image focuses behind the retina. This means close-up objects appear blurry.

Your eye uses two main parts to focus images:

• The cornea: This is the clear, dome-shaped front part of your eye.
• The lens: This is a clear part, roughly the size and shape of a small candy like an M&M, located behind the cornea.

In a healthy eye, both the cornea and the lens have a smooth, even curve, similar to a smooth ball. This smooth surface bends (refracts) light rays so they land precisely on the retina.

If the cornea or lens isn't perfectly smooth and curved, the light isn't bent correctly. This is called a refractive error.

Farsightedness happens when your eyeball is a little shorter than usual, or if the cornea isn't curved enough. It's the opposite of nearsightedness.

Beyond farsightedness, other common refractive errors include:

• Nearsightedness (myopia): This usually happens when your eyeball is a bit longer than normal, or if the cornea is too curved. In nearsightedness, light focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it, making distant objects appear blurry.

• Astigmatism: This occurs when the cornea or lens is more curved in one direction than another. This uneven curve causes blurry vision.

Having trouble seeing things up close? Farsightedness, or hyperopia, can lead to several problems.

One issue is crossed eyes (strabismus). Sometimes, children with farsightedness develop crossed eyes. Eyeglasses designed to correct the farsightedness can often fix this problem. These glasses help the eyes work together properly.

Farsightedness can also impact your daily life. If you don't correct the problem, you might not be able to do things as well as you'd like. For example, you might have a hard time reading, working on a computer, or participating in hobbies that require clear close-up vision. This can reduce your enjoyment of everyday activities.

Eyestrain is another common problem. When your eyes have to work harder to focus on things up close, you may squint or strain your eyes. This can cause headaches and general eye fatigue, sometimes called eyestrain.

Finally, poor vision can affect your safety. If you can't see clearly, especially when driving or operating machinery, this can be dangerous for you and others. Uncorrected farsightedness can make it difficult to see traffic signals, judge distances, or spot hazards. This is why getting your eyes checked and using proper corrective lenses is important, especially for activities requiring clear vision.

Getting diagnosed with farsightedness (also called hyperopia) is a simple process. Your eye doctor will perform a basic eye exam, which has two parts.

First, they'll do a refraction test. This test checks for vision problems like nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, or presbyopia (difficulty seeing things up close). They might use different tools and ask you to look through various lenses to assess your vision at different distances, both near and far.

Second, they'll conduct an eye health exam. This often involves putting eye drops in your eyes to widen your pupils (a process called dilation). Dilation lets your doctor get a better view of the inside of your eyes, allowing them to check for any other potential problems. Your eyes might be a little more sensitive to light for a few hours after the drops are put in.

Treating Farsightedness: Options for Clearer Vision

Farsightedness, also known as hyperopia, happens when your eyes are shaped in a way that light focuses behind the retina instead of directly on it. This makes it hard to see things up close clearly. The goal of treatment is to bring the focus back to the retina.

How it Works

Corrective methods work by changing the way light bends as it enters the eye. This can be done with lenses or surgery.

For Young People

Many young people don't need treatment for farsightedness. Their eyes' natural lenses are flexible enough to adjust and compensate for the condition. However, as people age, the lenses lose flexibility, making treatment often necessary. The amount of farsightedness needed to be corrected also varies widely, so some people might only require correction for near vision.

Prescription Lenses

Prescription lenses are a common and effective way to treat farsightedness. They counteract the issues with the shape of the eye by adding the needed curvature to the lens.

• Eyeglasses: A simple and safe way to correct vision. Eyeglasses come in various types like single vision, bifocals, trifocals, and progressive lenses, each addressing different vision needs.

• Contact Lenses: Worn directly on the eye, contact lenses provide a close-fitting correction. These are available in various materials and designs, including soft, rigid, and gas permeable lenses. Different designs address different needs such as spherical, toric, multifocal, and monovision. It's important to talk to your eye doctor about the best type for you.

Refractive Surgery

While most refractive surgery is used for nearsightedness, it can also be used for mild to moderate farsightedness. These procedures reshape the cornea to improve focus.

• LASIK (Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis): In this procedure, a thin flap is created in the cornea, and a laser reshapes the underlying cornea to correct farsightedness. Recovery is usually faster and less uncomfortable compared to other surgical options.

• LASEK (Laser-Assisted Sub-Epithelial Keratectomy): A very thin flap is created on the outer layer of the cornea (the epithelium), and the inner layers are reshaped with a laser. The epithelium is then replaced.

• PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy): Similar to LASEK, but the surgeon removes the entire outer layer of the cornea's epithelium. The epithelium naturally regrows to conform to the new shape of the cornea.

Important Considerations

Before any treatment, talk to your doctor about the potential benefits and risks associated with each option. This is crucial to ensure you make an informed decision. Refractive surgery, like any other surgical procedure, has potential side effects that need to be discussed with your ophthalmologist.