Hyperopia is a common refractive disorder that impacts the eye health of millions of Americans. There are different degrees of hyperopia, and the condition can affect people of any age. But what exactly is hyperopia and how can it be corrected.
What exactly is hyperopia?
People with hyperopia can see objects in the distance clearly, but objects that are closer to them are often blurry. The condition is more popularly known as farsightedness.
When the eye is functioning normally, the light that enters through the cornea and lens is focused onto an exact point of the retina. The retina is a layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that converts the light rays into impulses, which are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve. The brain then translates the impulses into images.
Hyperopia is an eye focusing disorder that occurs because of the irregular shape of the eye. With hyperopia the eye has a shorter depth, or more specifically the distance between the cornea and the retina is shorter than the normal eye. This deficiency interferes with the normal bending of light as it enters the eye, causing the light to focus somewhere beyond the retina instead of directly on it.
Correcting hyperopia
Most cases of hyperopia can be corrected with the use of prescription eyeglasses, or contact lenses. Laser treatment to remodel the cornea of the eye is another option for correcting hyperopia. This restores the focal point of the eye back to the retina, in order to improve vision.
Are you having problems seeing objects at a distance? Contact New View Eye Center, located in Reston, VA, for a consultation. We also serve the greater Washington, DC and Northern VA areas.
Call 703-834-9777 today to set up an appointment with ophthalmologist Dr. Jacqueline Griffiths.