Farsightedness: Causes and corrective treatments Health ConditionsHealth ConditionsAlzheimer's & DementiaAnxietyArthritisAsthma & AllergiesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascular HealthCOVID-19Dermatology & SkincareDiabetesEnvironment & SustainabilityExercise & FitnessEye HealthHeadache & MigraineHealth EquityHIV & AIDSHuman BiologyInflammatory Bowel DiseaseLeukemiaLGBTQIA+Men's HealthMental HealthMultiple Sclerosis (MS)NutritionParkinson's DiseasePsoriasisSexual HealthWomen's HealthDiscoverNewsLatest NewsOriginal SeriesMedical MythsHonest NutritionThrough My EyesNew Normal HealthPodcastsHow to understand chronic painWhat is behind vaccine hesitancy?The amazing story of hepatitis C, from discovery to cureNew directions in dementia researchCan psychedelics rewire a depressed, anxious brain?Why climate change matters for human healthToolsGeneral HealthDrugs A-ZHealth HubsHealth ToolsBMI Calculators and ChartsBlood Pressure Chart: Ranges and GuideBreast Cancer: Self-Examination GuideSleep CalculatorHealth ProductsAffordable Therapy OptionsBlood Pressure MonitorsDiabetic SuppliesFitness TrackersHome GymsGreen Cleaning ProductsHow to Shop for CBDQuizzesRA Myths vs FactsType 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood SugarAnkylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or FictionConnectAbout Medical News TodayWho We AreOur Editorial ProcessContent IntegrityConscious LanguageNewslettersSign UpFollow UsMedical News TodayHealth ConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribe What to know about farsightednessMedically reviewed by Jenna Stoddard, OD — By Adam Felman — Updated on May 25, 2022Farsightedness (hyperopia) is a common vision defect that makes it difficult to focus on near objects. People with severe hyperopia can only focus on objects far away, or they cannot focus at all. Share on PinterestMaskot/Getty ImagesPeople with farsightedness can see objects farther away better than closer objects. It occurs when the eyeball or the lens is too short or the cornea is too flat. Also known as longsightedness or hyperopia, it affects 5–10% of the United States population. It can either develop as the muscles weaken from approximately 40 years of age onwards, also known as presbyopia, or be present from birth. Signs and symptoms The most common signs and symptoms of farsightedness:objects nearby appear blurrythe person needs to squint or strain their eyes to see clearlya headache or discomfort occurs after prolonged reading or writingeyestrain develops, which burns or aches in or around the eyesthe person cannot perceive depth effectively Untreated, other eye conditions can develop, such as a “lazy” eye or crossed eyes, known as strabismus. Causes Two parts of the human eye make it possible to focus. The cornea: The clear, front part of the eye that receives and focuses light into the eye. The lens: A transparent structure inside the eye that focuses light rays onto the retina. The retina is a layer of nerves at the back of the eye that senses light and sends impulses through the optic nerve to the brain. The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain and carries these focused light signals formed by the retina to the brain. The brain then interprets them as images. The optimal shape for an eye is a perfectly smooth curvature of the cornea and lens. The length and shape of the eyeball also need to be optimal for perfect vision. The cornea and the lens refract — or bend — the incoming light rays. When this happens, an image is focused sharply on the retina. Farsightedness occurs when light does not refract properly. Instead, the light refracts through an uneven, less smooth cornea or lens. It is a type of refractive error. Refractive errors can also cause myopia, or shortsightedness, and astigmatism. The light rays focus at a point behind the retina but not onto it due to the imperfect shape. They travel to the back of the retina before they have been bent properly by the lens and cornea, resulting in blurred vision when objects are closer.Share on PinterestFarsightedness Illustration by Maya Chastain People who are born with hyperopia may be able to focus on distant objects during childhood. However, eventually, it may become more difficult to focus, and even distant objects may not be clear. In rare cases, farsightedness may result from:diabetestumorsfovea hypoplasia, or macular hypoplasia — a rare medical condition involving the underdevelopment of the macula, a small area on the retina Experts often link macular hypoplasia with albinism. They also believe farsightedness may be hereditary. Diagnosis An optometrist can perform a standard eye exam to diagnose farsightedness. Optometrists can assess vision, prescribe corrective lenses, and diagnose common eye issues. Alternatively, an ophthalmologist, or eye specialist, may carry out the exam if a more complex issue is suspected. A person should have an eye exam if they are experiencing any of the above symptoms or reach 40 years of age without symptoms of farsightedness. Younger children should also have vision testing at the following stages:at birthduring their first year of lifearound 3.5 yearsaround 5 years A person who already wears corrective lenses will need more frequent exams to ensure their lens prescription remains appropriate. Most eye conditions can be corrected successfully, but there is a risk of further complications if left untreated. A complete eye test should check the following:ability to focus on near objectsgeneral eye health, to determine whether there are any eye conditions or physical abnormalitiesvisual acuity, or sharpness, using a Snellen chart of letters that decrease in size dilation, or widening, of pupilsside visionocular motility, or eye movementthe front of the eyeretina and optic nerve If a person wears prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, they may need to wear them during the exam. The eye specialist also checks for signs of eye conditions by shining a light into the person’s eyes and observing their reaction. They will look for disorders such as glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. Treatment Hyperopia treatment aims to help light focus correctly on the retina. Corrective lenses or refractive surgery may achieve this. Corrective lenses Most younger people with hyperopia do not need corrective lenses because they can compensate by focusing on nearer objects. However, by the age of 40, when the lenses are less flexible, most people with longsightedness need corrective lenses because their lenses are not able to compensate. There are two primary types of corrective lenses:Eyeglasses: These may include bifocals, trifocals, and standard reading glasses.Contact lenses: Various types of contact lenses are available, with differing levels of softness and intended duration of wear. Refractive surgery Doctors normally use refractive surgery for nearsightedness, or myopia, but it can also treat hyperopia. Examples include:Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK): A laser or microkeratome reshapes the center of the cornea into a steeper dome.Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK): A laser reshapes the outer edges of the cornea into a steeper curvature.Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK): The surgeon removes the outer layer of the cornea and a similar procedure to the LASEK is carried out. The outer layer then grows back over about 10 days.Conductive keratoplasty (CK): Doctors reshape the cornea using a radiofrequency-emitting probe placed at its edge, which causes slight shrinkage to the peripheral collagen. LASIK, LASEK, and PRK reshape the cornea to steepen the peripheral cornea. This increases the overall power of the cornea. Both the LASIK and LASEK procedures create a flap made from the epithelium — the top-most layer of the eye — which can re-cover the treated eye tissue. LASIK creates this flap using a laser or microkeratome, whereas LASEK creates the flap using alcohol. PRK removes the flap using alcohol but does not re-cover the eye tissue with the flap. PRK and LASIK are popular surgeries, while doctors rarely use LASEK or CK. Laser surgery may not be suitable for those who:have a constantly changing corrective lens prescriptionhave diabetesare pregnant or breastfeedinghave a weakened immune systemhave other eye issues, such as glaucoma or cataracts Risks of laser surgery All surgical procedures have some risks. The most common temporary side effects after LASIK include:hazy or blurry visiondifficulty with night visionitchy or dry eyeshalos or glareslight sensitivitydiscomfort or painsmall pink or red patches on the white of the eye These complications often ease over about 6 months to 1 year. In rare cases, some of these effects may be permanent. Rarely, laser surgery may result in the following complications:Worse post-operative vision: The vision may be worse than before if the surgeon misjudges how much tissue to remove from the cornea.Epithelial in-growth: The surface of the cornea starts growing into the cornea itself, leading to further vision problems. This may require additional surgery.Ectasia: The cornea becomes too thin, vision worsens, and there is a risk of total vision loss. Microbial keratitis: This is an infection of the cornea. An older 2005 study found the risk of complication following LASIK surgery to be as follows:0.6% chance of a correction error1.3% chance of epithelial in-growth0.2% chance of ectasia0.16% chance of microbial keratitis The risk factors may be similar in LASEK and PRK surgery. Possible complications of hyperopia Complications in adults are rare. The condition worsens with age, but stronger glasses usually enable the person to see properly. Complications only tend to occur when hyperopia goes untreated in children. Strabismus, or squint: The eyes are not properly aligned, and focus on different things. This may affect depth perception and make it difficult to determine how far away objects are. The other eye may become weakened, leading to amblyopia. Amblyopia: One or both eyes becomes dominant, usually due to refractive error or strabismus. If one or both eyes are not clear, the brain does not develop the needed pathways for 20/20 visual acuity. Left untreated, the person may develop blurry vision in that eye. Both complications are treatable. Wearing a patch over the stronger eye can encourage the brain to take more notice of the weaker eye. This strengthens the eye muscles. Prescription eyeglasses may help align the eyes and provide the clarity needed to correctly develop the visual pathway. In severe cases, a person may need surgery to realign the eyes and strengthen the eye muscles. Adults who develop hyperopia and do not get corrective lenses may find that their quality of life is undermined and may have an eye that never sees 20/20. Summary Longsightedness is thought to be hereditary, caused by misshapen eyes. Farsightedness may worsen after the age of 40, but it is easily treatable with corrective lenses or surgery. Last medically reviewed on May 25, 2022Eye Health / Blindness 14 sourcescollapsedMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Boyd, K. (2022). Amblyopia: What is lazy eye?https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/amblyopia-lazy-eyeBoyd, K. (2022). What is presbyopia?https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-presbyopiaFarsightedness. (n.d.).https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/farsightednessFarsightedness [Fact sheet]. (n.d.).https://www.nei.nih.gov/sites/default/files/health-pdfs/Farsightedness.pdfGudgel, D. T. (2018). Facts about LASIK complications.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/facts-about-lasik-complicationsHyperopia or farsightedness. (n.d.).https://www.covd.org/page/hyperopiaLASIK complication rate: The latest facts and stats you should know. (2021).https://americanrefractivesurgerycouncil.org/lasik-complication-rate-latest-factsLowth, M. (2016). Long sight (hypermetropia).https://patient.info/eye-care/long-sight-hypermetropiaMocanu, V., et al. (2018). Prevalence and risk factors of amblyopia among refractive errors in an Eastern European population.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6037249Moshirfar, M., et al. (2016). Meta-analysis of the FDA reports on patient-reported outcomes using the three latest platforms for LASIK.https://journals.healio.com/doi/full/10.3928/1081597X-20161221-02Murray, A., et al. (2005). A systematic review of the safety and efficacy of elective photorefractive surgery for the correction of refractive error. Review body for interventional procedures.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228353365_A_systematic_review_of_the_safety_and_efficacy_of_elective_photorefractive_surgery_for_the_correction_of_refractive_errorRefractive errors. (2022.).https://nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes/hyperopiaSurgery for refractive errors. (2019).https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/refractive-errors/surgery-refractive-errorsTurbert, D. (2022). Eye exam and vision testing basics.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/eye-exams-101FEEDBACK:Medically reviewed by Jenna Stoddard, OD — By Adam Felman — Updated on May 25, 2022 Latest newsWhat sets 'SuperAgers' apart? Their unusually large neuronsOmega-3 may provide a brain boost for people in midlifeSeasonal affective disorder (SAD): How to beat it this fall and winterCDC: Monkeypox in the US 'unlikely to be eliminated in the near future'Why are more women prone to Alzheimer's? New clues arise Related CoverageFive tips for healthy sight Are you worried about your eyes? We have compiled some top tips to help you maintain healthy sight, boost eye health, and prevent eye-related diseases.READ MOREWhat is glaucoma?Medically reviewed by Ann Marie Griff, O.D. Glaucoma is an eye condition that can lead to vision loss. It is common among older adults and those with some health conditions. Here, find out how…READ MOREThe eyes and how they workMedically reviewed by Vicente Diaz, MD, MBA The eyes are complex organs. In this article, we look at their anatomy and how they work, and we describe some conditions that affect the eyes.READ MOREHow far away is a cure for blindness? In this Spotlight feature, we take a look at disorders that reduce vision for which there is currently no cure, along with what forms of treatment are…READ MORETop 10 foods for healthy eyesMedically reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R.D., L.D., ACSM EP-C Foods rich in certain nutrients can have a powerful effect on eye health. Read about 10 foods for healthy eyes, other eye health tips, and warning…READ MORE