There may come a time in our lives when our vision begins to blur. For many people, this occurs as they age. But even children and teens can develop or be born with faulty eye-sight. In any case, most blurred vision results in a diagnosis of nearsighted and farsighted vision. These conditions are easily corrected with glasses, contacts, or even laser eye surgery. Let’s dive into the details behind blurry vision.
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Normal Vision
When someone has “20/20” or perfect vision, light is focused directly on the retina as opposed to being behind or in front of it. Thus, someone is able to see both near and far away very clearly. In this way, you could say that perfect vision is a result of perfect refractive conditions, as it solely depends on how light is refracted into the eye. Nearsighted and farsighted vision is a different story.
Nearsightedness
Nearsightedness, also called myopia, is when you can see close up objects clearly, but far away objects appear blurry. In terms of the actual eye, the image becomes focused in front of the retina as opposed to directly on it. This causes blurred vision from far away. As a result, the length of the eyeball becomes longer than the optical length, preventing light from coming in and focusing on the retina directly. Another cause of nearsightedness is an abnormal lens or cornea.
Nearsightedness is most common between the ages of 8-12, but it can also develop in adults. In general, nearsightedness prescriptions will stay the same, although in some cases it can worsen with age. In either case, it can easily be corrected with glasses, contacts, or refractive surgery. It’s important to treat nearsightedness in one of these three ways as it can cause headaches and eyestrain from squinting at objects far away. Treating nearsightedness is especially important for driving, as you need to see signs and other objects on the road.
Farsightedness
Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is when you are able to see objects far away, but not those that are close up. With this condition, the eyeball is too short, causing the light to focus beyond the retina rather than directly on it. Like nearsightedness, it may also be caused due to an abnormal curve or shape of your lens. Hyperopia is usually found as early as birth, but it can also be outgrown. The condition’s likelihood increases with age. Those who require reading glasses, for example, are farsighted.
Just like nearsightedness, farsightedness can also cause headaches and strain due to trying hard to focus on objects close up.
Treatment for Nearsighted and Farsighted Vision
Glasses and contact lenses are usually the standard go-to for correcting myopia and hyperopia, but it’s not for everyone. Some people have a hard time finding a pair of glasses that fits their face shape or that they feel comfortable and confident in. On the other hand, some people have very physically active jobs and lives, making it difficult to wear glasses regularly.
Contact lenses are a great alternative. However, they are not for everyone. Contact lenses can be very expensive, they require regular cleaning, or, with disposable ones, require you to stay on top of your prescription orders. Some people also find it difficult or awkward to wear or they can be irritating to your eyes. Another option is refractive surgery. Refractive surgery’s goal is to improve the refractive vision by changing the shape of the cornea. This makes it so that the light hits the retina directly, therefore eliminating hyperopia or myopia.
No matter which option you choose, there are ways to gain financial help in the process. Visit the National Eye Institute to find out more.
At Advanced Eye Medical, we are happy to provide a free consultation to help you on your way to healthy vision.