Approximately 25% of Canadians will develop hyperopia in their lifetime. Â It is usually referred to as farsightedness and is one of the most common vision problems among Canadians. Â Hyperopic patients are able to see distant objects without issue but struggle to focus on objects up close.
Hyperopia is a refractive error of the eye, just as myopia (nearsightedness) is. Â Â It is the result of the cornea of the eye not being curved enough and/or the length of the eye being too short causing objects to focus behind the retina. Â Â Â Â The closer the object is to our eye, the further the image focusses behind the retina and thus the blurrier it appears.
Hyperopia Symptoms
Common symptoms of hyperopia are:
- Headaches
- Close objects appear blurred
- Eye fatigue
- Eye strain as a result of squinting
Hyperopia treatment
Hyperopia is an eye condition that is easily treated with eyeglasses and contact lenses. Â Just like myopia, the degree of your hyperopia will dictate if you need to wear your prescribed eyewear all the time or just situationally.
Refractive (laser) surgery is usually not a great option for treating hyperopia due to the complexity of the surgery but this depends on several factors. Â Â Â Â Â
Surgery may reduce or completely eliminate the need to wear eyeglasses and contacts. Â To find out if you would be a good refractive surgery candidate for your hyperopia we recommend booking an eye exam with one of our Optometrists.
