Hyperopia or Farsightedness

What is Hyperopia?

Hyperopia is a refractive error where people are able to see distant objects clearly but objects up close seem blurry. People with hyperopia tend to have eye strains, headaches from trouble reading, eye fatigue from focusing on objects up close. There are several treatments for hyperopia including eyeglasses, contact lenses, and eye surgery.
Causes of Hyperopia

Hyperopia occurs because the eyeball is shorter than normal. This causes the image to focus behind the retina rather that on it. People with hyperopia can see distant objects fine but performing task like reading, sewing, or typing on the computer can become a hassle.
Treatments for Hyperopia

People with hyperopia often squint when working with objects up close. This allows them to see better as a different amount of light is refracted. Like treatments for myopia, treatments for hyperopia are designed to refract a correct amount of light into the eyes through either corrective lenses or reshaping of the cornea through surgical and non-surgical methods.

At a young age, depending on the degree of hyperopia, eyeglasses or contacts are usually the first option. They are usually worn only when working with objects that require close up focus. Refractive surgery like LASIK Eye Surgery is a popular treatment. This allows treatment without the fuss and feel of contacts or eyeglasses. Relatively new refractive procedures for people over 40 with hyperopia include CK, Conductive keratoplasty. This causes the cornea to change shape and thus improve vision.

What Causes It?

Hyperopia is a refractive error, like astigmatism and nearsightedness (myopia). Having a refractive error means that light rays bend incorrectly into your eye to transmit images to the brain. Farsightedness occurs when light entering the eye focuses behind the retina, instead of directly on it. An abnormally flat cornea or short eye can cause the light to enter the eye this way.

Hyperopia often runs in families. It is often present at birth; however, many children outgrow it.

What Are the Symptoms of Farsightedness?

Symptoms of farsightedness may include:

* Headaches
* Eye strain
* Difficulty concentrating or focusing on nearby objects
* Fatigue or headache after performing a close task such as reading

If you experience these symptoms of hyperopia while wearing your glasses or contact lenses, you may need a new prescription.

How Is Farsightedness Diagnosed?

Farsightedness can be easily diagnosed by a basic eye exam given by your eye doctor.

How Is Farsightedness Corrected?

To correct hyperopia you must change the way the light rays bend when entering your eye. Glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery can all be used to correct farsightedness.

Depending on the extent of your farsightedness, you may need to wear your glasses or contact lenses at all times, or only when you need to see objects up close, like when reading or sewing. With hyperopia, your prescription is a positive number, such as +3.00. The higher the number, the stronger your lenses will be.

If wearing contacts or glasses isn't for you, refractive surgery can reduce or even eliminate your dependence on glasses or contact lenses. The most common procedures to correct hyperopia include:

* PRK. During a photorefractive keratectomy a laser is used to flatten the cornea so that light rays can focus closer to, or even on the retina.
* LASIK. During laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, a flap is cut through the top of the cornea, a laser removes some corneal tissue, and then the flap is dropped back into place. LASIK is the most common surgery used to correct farsightedness.

An even newer procedure for correcting mild hyperopia is the implantation of plastic corneal rings called Intacs, which also alter the shape of the cornea. One advantage of the rings is that they can be left in place permanently, or they may be removed in case of a problem or adjusted should a prescription change become necessary.

Phakic Intraocular Lenses, a new treatment, can be used to correct high degrees of hyperopia. This treatment uses an implantable lens much like a contact lens inside the eye to allow better light refraction. Advancements in Lens Replacement Surgery with technology such as Crystalens or ReSTOR Intraocular Lenses offer a promising option for patients with hyperopia who also suffer from presbyopia.