Hyperopia : The Longsighted Eye
Farsighted people sometimes have headaches or eye strain and may squint or feel fatigued when performing work at near vision. If you get those symptoms while wearing your eyeglasses or contact lenses, you may need to book an eye exam and get a new prescription.
Hyperopia is what happens when the eye is too short versus the refractive power of the crystalline lens. Focusing then takes place behind the retina, instead of directly on it. This causes the retinal image to be blurred, like a photo taken when the camera lens is out of focus.
Hyperopia, or farsightedness, is a common vision problem affecting about a fourth of the population. People with hyperopia can see distant objects very well, but find it difficult to focus on objects that are up close. You might know this condition under its more common name "hypermetropia”.
Hyperopia symptoms
Farsighted people sometimes have headaches or eye strain and may squint or feel fatigued when performing work at near vision. If you get those symptoms while wearing your eyeglasses or contact lenses, you may need to book an eye exam and get a new prescription.
When selecting eyeglasses to correct farsightedness, choose aspheric high-index lenses - especially for stronger prescriptions. These lenses are thinner, lighter and have a slimmer, more attractive look. Aspheric lenses also reduce the magnified "bug-eye“ or “coke bottle glasses” appearance that eyeglasses for hyperopia often cause.
Did you know ?
In those under 8 years of age, who have not yet completed their ocular development, there is a risk that high uncorrected hyperopia causes strabismus or amblyopia (lazy eye)*. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out visual checks on children between 3 and 5 years old.
*Amblyopia (lazy eye) in children - Agnes M.F. Wong - CMAJ Mar 2014, 186