Hyperopia (Farsightedness)

“Hyperopia” is the medical name for farsightedness. It’s a common vision issue that causes you to have blurry vision when looking at things up close.

Hyperopia isn’t a disease. It’s a type of refractive error. These are some of the most common reasons people need glasses or contacts.

Objects close to you (like a book or your phone) may look blurry. Something farther away (like a street sign or the screen in a movie theater) will be clear. But your vision might be blurry at all distances if you have severe hyperopia.

Most people have bilateral hyperopia. This means it affects both of your eyes. But it’s also possible to have it in only one eye.

Farsightedness symptoms

Blurry close vision is the most common hyperopia symptom. Items within 18 feet (six meters) will start to look fuzzy or unclear. Your vision will be clearer the farther away an object is.

Having hyperopia can make your eye muscles work harder than normal to try to focus your eyes. This can lead to other symptoms like:

• Eye strain, especially at night or in low light
• Dull eye pain
• Headaches
• Squinting
• Double vision

Babies and young children may not be able to tell you their vision is blurry. You might notice your child squinting a lot or rubbing their eyes. They may act uninterested in reading or looking at objects right next to them.

Hyperopia causes

Hyperopia happens when the natural shape of your eyes causes them to bend light incorrectly. This leads to unclear vision.

Two main issues can lead to hyperopia:

• Decreased axial length: This happens when your eyeball is shorter than usual from front to back.
• Flattened corneas: Corneas are usually slightly curved. If yours are naturally flatter than usual, light that passes through them won’t hit your retina as it should.

There’s a possibility that farsightedness is genetic. That means if your biological parents have it, you may be more likely to have it. But researchers are still studying this connection.

Hyperopia complications

Other than blurry vision and headaches, it’s rare to have complications if you have farsightedness.

Some children with hyperopia may have a higher risk for amblyopia and strabismus. But seeing an eye doctor and getting your child’s vision corrected will usually take care of any issues before they become bigger problems.

How doctors diagnose farsightedness

An eye doctor will diagnose farsightedness with an eye exam and vision test. They’ll examine your eyes inside and out to look for physical differences.

Your eye doctor will also check your vision. Be honest with them about what you’re seeing. This is especially true for kids. Help your child understand that they’re not in trouble and can’t fail a vision test. Knowing what they’re seeing will help your doctor recommend the right ways to clear up their vision.

Hyperopia treatments

The most common hyperopia treatments include:

• Glasses or contacts: You’ll probably need glasses or contacts to manage farsightedness. These are some of the most common medical devices that people use. They’ll correct the way light is bent when it hits your eyes. This will help you see clearly again.
• Laser surgery: Talk to your eye doctor if you’re interested in surgery to correct your vision. There are lots of options, including LASIK, PRK and SMILE. Your eye doctor will help you pick the one that’s best for you.
• Lens replacement surgery: This is another type of refractive surgery. Your surgeon can perform IOL placement or refractive lens exchange.

When should I see my eye doctor?

Visit an eye doctor as soon as you notice any changes in your eyes or vision, especially if they happen suddenly.

Once you know you have hyperopia, your eye doctor will tell you how often you’ll need eye exams. They’ll check your vision and adjust your prescription if needed.

What can I expect if I have farsightedness?

You should plan on wearing glasses or contacts to see clearly for the rest of your life. Hyperopia won’t get better on its own. Having refractive surgery is the only way to treat it permanently.

It might take some time to adjust to wearing corrective lenses. But once you get the hang of it, you probably won’t even notice them. Talk to your eye doctor if it ever feels like your vision is getting worse or if your lenses don’t feel like they’re helping as much. Your eyes change naturally over time, so you may eventually need stronger or different lenses.