Expanded Overview of Vision Problems
Clear patient-friendly explanations, symptoms, risk factors, and common correction options.
Myopia (Nearsightedness)
- Definition: A refractive error where distant objects appear blurred, while near objects are clear.
- Cause: The eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the retina.
- Symptoms: Blurred distance vision, squinting, eye strain, headaches.
- Risk Factors: Genetics, prolonged near work (reading, screen use), limited outdoor activity in childhood.
- Correction: Negative (concave) lenses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK).
Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
- Definition: A refractive error where near objects are blurred, but distance vision may remain clear.
- Cause: The eyeball is too short or the cornea is too flat, causing light to focus behind the retina.
- Symptoms: Difficulty focusing on near tasks, eye strain, headaches, especially after reading.
- Risk Factors: Often hereditary, can worsen with age.
- Correction: Convex (plus) lenses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.
Astigmatism
- Definition: A condition where vision is distorted at all distances due to irregular corneal curvature.
- Cause: The cornea or lens has an uneven shape, preventing light from focusing evenly.
- Symptoms: Blurred or distorted vision, glare, difficulty seeing fine details.
- Risk Factors: Can occur alone or with myopia/hyperopia; often genetic.
- Correction: Cylindrical lenses, toric contact lenses, or refractive surgery.
Presbyopia
- Definition: Age related loss of near focusing ability due to reduced lens elasticity.
- Cause: Natural aging process of the crystalline lens.
- Symptoms: Difficulty reading small print, need to hold objects farther away, eye strain.
- Risk Factors: Affects nearly everyone after age 40–45.
- Correction: Reading glasses, bifocals, progressive lenses, or multifocal contact lenses.
Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)
- Definition: Reduced vision in one eye due to abnormal visual development in childhood.
- Cause: Strabismus, unequal refractive errors, or deprivation (e.g., cataract in childhood).
- Symptoms: Poor vision in one eye, reduced depth perception.
- Risk Factors: Early childhood visual problems left untreated.
- Correction: Early treatment with eye patching, vision therapy, corrective lenses.
Strabismus (Crossed Eyes)
- Definition: Misalignment of the eyes, leading to double vision or impaired depth perception.
- Cause: Muscle imbalance or nerve problems controlling eye movement.
- Symptoms: Eyes pointing in different directions, double vision, eye strain.
- Risk Factors: Family history, neurological conditions, untreated childhood vision problems.
- Correction: Glasses, prism lenses, vision therapy, or surgery.
Anisometropia
- Definition: Unequal refractive power between the two eyes.
- Cause: One eye is more myopic, hyperopic, or astigmatic than the other.
- Symptoms: Eyestrain, headaches, poor depth perception, risk of amblyopia in children.
- Risk Factors: Genetic predisposition, childhood development.
- Correction: Glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery to balance vision.
Keratoconus
- Definition: Progressive thinning and bulging of the cornea, causing irregular astigmatism.
- Cause: Weakening of corneal tissue, possibly linked to genetics, oxidative stress, or eye rubbing.
- Symptoms: Distorted vision, glare, halos, frequent prescription changes.
- Risk Factors: Family history, chronic eye rubbing, certain connective tissue disorders.
- Correction: Rigid gas permeable contact lenses, scleral lenses, corneal cross linking, or corneal transplantation in advanced cases.
Note: This content is educational and does not replace an eye examination. If you have sudden vision changes, pain, or redness, contact us immediately.
