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Hyperopia (farsightedness)

Farsightedness, or hyperopia, as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which distant objects are usually seen clearly, but close ones do not come into proper focus. In mild cases of farsightedness, your eyes may have been able to compensate without corrective lenses. The condition can occur in childhood, making it different from presbyopia, an age-related disorder.

A person with hyperopia is able to see objects at a distance, but has trouble with objects up close, like books or newspapers. Many people are not diagnosed with hyperopia without a complete eye exam.

Why does it occur?

Farsightedness occurs if the eyeball is too short or the cornea has too little curvature, so light entering the eye is not focused correctly. The cornea and the lens work together to focus images from the visual world on the back of the eye (the retina). If an image is out of focus, it is typically because the overall shape of the eye is incorrect or the cornea does not have the proper curvature. When this happens, visual images are focused behind the retina.

Symptoms of hyperopia include:

• blurred vision of close objects
• eye strain
• aching eyes
• headache

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