FARSIGHTEDNESS
Farsightedness is a common vision problem in which distant objects can be seen clearly, but close objects do not come into proper focus and may be blurry.
- Focusing ability is influenced by the degree of farsightedness. For instance, people with mild farsightedness may be able to see close objects clearly, while people with severe farsightedness may see clearly only objects a great distance away.
- Also known as hyperopia, farsightedness affects about 10-30% of the world’s population. It primarily affects young children, with rates of 1% at 15 years and 8% at 6 years.
- Farsightedness becomes more common again after the age of 40, affecting about half of the people. However, many children outgrow it as the eyeball lengthens with normal growth.
- Farsightedness can be associated with several problems, such as reduced quality of life, crossed eye.
CAUSES
To understand farsightedness, it is helpful to get how the normal eye works. The eye has two parts that focus images: the cornea and the lens. The cornea is a clear, dome-shaped front surface of the eye, and the lens is a clear structure inside the eyes suspended behind the iris.
In normally shaped eyes, the cornea and the lens has a perfectly smooth curvature, making it possible for them to bend, or refract incoming light and make sharply focused images on the retina (at the back of the eye). The retina receives this visual information and sends it to the optic nerve (that connects the eye to the brain), the optic nerve, in turn, carries these focused light signals formed by the retina to the brain where they are interpreted as images.
Farsightedness occurs when lights are not refracted properly as a result of an unsmooth and unevenly curved cornea or an eyeball that is shorter than normal. Because of this, light rays focus at a point behind the retina, and not onto it.
Farsightedness is a type of refractive error and it often runs in families.
SYMPTOMS
- Blurry vision
- Trouble focusing on nearby objects ‘
- Headaches
- Eyestrain including burning eyes, and aching around or in the eyes
- Eye discomfort after engaging in a prolonged interval of close-up tasks such as as-as reading, computer work, drawing or writing.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
All that is needed for diagnosis is a basic eye exam, including a refraction assessment and an eye health exam.
For the eye health exam, the doctor will dilate your pupils. This involves putting drops in your eyes to make the pupil widen, enabling the doctor to see wider views of your eyes.
TREATMENT
In young people, farsightedness often does not need to be corrected because the crystalline lenses inside the eyes are flexible enough to compensate for the condition.
Treatment options may include:
Prescription lenses including:
- Eyeglasses
- Contact lenses
Refractive surgery that works by reshaping the curvature of the cornea. They include:
- Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)
- Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK)
- Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy
Surgical options are expensive and involve more risk than getting prescription lenses. So, it is important you talk with your doctor about possible side effects, as the procedure is not reversible.