Hyperopia or
longsightedness is a condition in which the optical components of the eye are
not strong enough and so light is not focussed onto the retina. This results in
blurred vision that is usually worse at shorter distances.
People with hyperopia
often have reasonable vision in the distance, but may find that their vision is
blurred or that they experience feelings of eyestrain or headaches when doing
near work such as reading.
What Is the Hyperopia?
The eye’s lens and
cornea focus light into an image on the retina, just as a camera lens focuses
light on to a film. In a resting hyperopic (longsighted) eye, the light is
focused behind the retina and so the image is blurred. The perfect state of
focusing exactly on the retina is unusual; the average person is a little
hyperopic.
How Does Hyperopia
Affect Vision?
A little hyperopia is
not a problem because the lens compensates easily but if there is a significant
amount of hyperopia, the effort of focusing (called accommodation) can lead to
symptoms. A hyperopic person can have normal vision but the greater the
hyperopia, the harder it is to focus. Vision may become blurry, especially for
close objects, because the closer the object the more focusing is required.
Hyperopic people may get tired eyes or headaches after a lot of visual work,
even if their vision is clear. Reading is more difficult and school work can be
affected.
What causes Hyperopia?
Hyperopia is often
thought to be hereditary, but no-one is certain. The eyeball may be a little
smaller than average.
Does Hyperopia Change
With Age?
It tends to increase,
but not always. We all find it harder to focus on close objects as we get
older. Hyperopes have trouble sooner and may need reading spectacles earlier
because they have to focus more to start with.
How Does Hyperopia
Diagnosed?
Because a hyperopic
person often can see well in the distance, a letter chart test alone may miss
hyperopia. Special tests have to be used, including retinoscopy and refraction.
What Does Optometrist
Does About Hyperopia?
The optometrist has
many things to consider when making a decision and symptoms are very important.
In general, young people who are slightly hyperopic do not have problems. If
they do, they may benefit from eye exercises or need spectacles, mainly for close
work such as reading and using computers. Older people, or young people with
significant hyperopia, often have problems because focusing requires much
effort. Their vision is more likely to be blurred, especially for close
objects. They usually need spectacles for reading and sometimes for distance
vision as well.
Why is Hyperopia
Called Longsightedness?
Hyperopic people
generally can see better in the distance then closed but they cannot see better
at any distance than someone who not hyperopic