What It Means to Be Farsighted

Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, is an eye condition that causes you to see far-away objects more clearly than those that are up close. In many cases, close objects may appear so blurry that you have problems performing tasks such as reading or sewing. While being farsighted is a common condition that can occur in both children and adults, many adults begin to experience this problem around age 40. This condition, known as presbyopia, causes your eyes to lose the ability to focus clearly on close objects and is usually age-related. Hyperopia generally occurs when your eye is too short and does not bend light correctly. This ultimately causes an image to focus behind your retina instead of directly on it, which results in blurry vision. When deciding whether you may be suffering from farsightedness, it can help to know some symptoms of this condition and available treatment options.

Symptoms of Being Farsighted

Following are some of the most common symptoms of being farsighted:

• Blurred vision, especially at night
• Trouble seeing objects clearly up close
• Aching eyes, eye strain, and regular headaches

Eye professionals generally diagnose hyperopia by performing a comprehensive eye exam and asking about your past eye health. In some cases, they may dilate your eye to make your pupil larger and prevent focusing, as this allows the eye doctor to examine your eye better.

Treatment Options for Being Farsighted

If you are only mildly farsighted, chances are you may not need treatment, since your eyes can usually adjust to make up for the problem. However, as you age, your eyes may not adjust as well, which means you likely need eyeglasses or contact lenses. If you want to avoid the hassle of these, however, you should consider more permanent vision correction options such as laser surgery or surgically implanted lenses. To determine whether any of these treatment options is appropriate for you, it is imperative that you visit an eye doctor, as he or she can examine your eyes and diagnose any vision problems accordingly.

Being farsighted is a common condition both children and adults face and usually presents itself as difficulty seeing close-up objects clearly. While this eye condition often corrects itself in children and young adults, it may require some form of eye correction in severe cases. If you think you may be farsighted, you should contact an eye care professional, as he or she can provide you with a comprehensive eye exam and recommend the best treatment option for you.