Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
The most common vision condition is hyperopia or hypermetropia, generally known as farsightedness. Those with hyperopia have trouble doing close work like reading or sewing and need to squint to see objects right in front of them.
This is all because hyperopes have eyes that are slightly shorter than average, which means that when light is refracted through the lens it is focused onto a point behind the retina instead of onto the retina itself. People often confuse hyperopia with myopia (nearsighted vision) but they are in fact the opposite.
The first solution to the problem of hyperopia is, of course, glasses or contact lenses. Depending on the severity of the diagnosis, glasses may be prescribed for wear all the time or sometimes only when doing things like reading or driving.
Farsighted Vision is Treatable
There are now also refractive surgery options available such as LASIK surgery, PRK (photorefractive kerectomy), and conductive keratoplasty. All of these options are surgical procedures that reshape the cornea to fix the hyperopia and make the proportions right again, redirecting the light rays onto the retina.
The only difference is that LASIK involves removing corneal cells underneath a flap, while PRK involves removing from the surface of the cornea, and CK does not remove any cells at all, but rather uses radiowaves to reshape the curvature of the eye. Your Ophamologist will study your particular case to decide which option will best serve your needs.
To schedule a consultation, please give us a call.
Sources:
- Ophthalmic Diseases and Therapeutics – Norton, Arthur Brigham
- American Optometric Association
- AllAboutVision.com
- EyeCareSource.com
- Hyperopia and Presbyopia – Tsubota, Kazuo
- A Manual of the Diagnosis and Treatment of the Diseases of the Eye – Jackson, Edward
- DocShop.com