A Complete Guide To Hyperopia
Throughout this guide, we’ll look at what hyperopia is,
Description Hyperopia that occurs when the axial length of the eye is shorter than the refracting components the eye requires for light to focus precisely on the retina Hyperopia that results from other than normal biologic variation of the refracting components of the eye
Etiology
Hereditary factors, with some environmental influence
• Relatively flat corneal curvature
• Insufficient crystalline lens power
• Increased lens thickness
• Short axial length
• Variance from normal separation of optical components of the eye
•Maldevelopment of the eye during the prenatal or early postnatal period
• Corneal or lenticular changes
• Chorioretinal or orbital inflammation or neoplasms
• Neurologic- or pharmacologic- based causes
Symptoms,
Signs, and Complications Constant to intermittent blurred vision
• Asthenopia.
• Frequent blinking
• Decreased binocularity
• Difficulty reading
Diagnosis of Hyperopia
The evaluation of a patient with hyperopia may include, but is not limited to, the following areas.
These examination components are not intended to be all inclusive, because professional judgment and the individual patient's symptoms and findings may have significant impact on the nature, extent, and course of the services provided. Some components of care may be delegated Patient History
The major components of the patient history include a review of the nature of the presenting problem and chief complaint, ocular and general health history, developmental and family history, use of medications and medication allergies, and vocational and avocational vision requirements. Parents of young children may suspect an eye or vision problem if the child frequently has red, irritated or tearing eyes, difficulty with the clarity or comfort of vision, or actual or suspected crossing of the eyes.
Older children may complain to parents or teachers about visual symptoms, or they may have failed vision screening performed at school or in the pediatrician's office. Adults with even mild hyperopia may develop visual problems after extensive use of the eyes and in poor illumination. Most presbyopic patients complain about increasing difficulty with near vision. Although blurred vision at near and unspecified visual discomfort are the most common complaints of patients with hyperopia, there are no complaints specifically pathognomonic of hyperopia. A positive family history of hyperopia, amblyopia, or strabismus increases the likelihood that a young patient with suspected eye or vision
amblyopia, or strabismus increases the likelihood that a young patient with suspected eye or vision
what causes it,
what the symptoms are and how it can be diagnosed and treated.
We’ll also touch on some of the most frequently asked questions about the condition.
What is Hyperopia? Hyperopia is the technical and medical name for farsightedness or long-sightedness. You may also hear it referred to as hypermetropia. It is a common eye condition involving a refractive error, meaning the eye doesn’t refract (bend) the light as it should do to create clear, focused images. When you suffer from hyperopia, those objects in the distance may look clear but ones closer to you appear blurred.
How people experience hyperopia can be different from person to person. Some may find that their vision isn’t too greatly affected, particularly while they’re young, but others may find that they’re struggling to focus on objects in the distance and close-up. The most common causes of hyperopia occur in adults aged 40 and over, however, it can affect people of all ages, including young children and babies.
What Causes Hyperopia? To be able to see clearly, your eyes must refract or bend light rays using the lens, cornea and tear film. These elements focus the light onto the retina, which is the layer of cells at the back of your eye that is light-sensitive. Once the retina receives this picture, it transfers the message to the brain via the optic nerve.
Hyperopia occurs because the cornea (the front of the eye that’s clear) is too flat or your eye is shorter than average. Because of this, the light rays are being focused behind the retina, instead of on it, which means you’re able to see distant objects but those closest to you become blurred.
Farsightedness is like myopia (nearsightedness) in so much that it is usually an inherited condition. A lot of children suffer from hyperopia but aren’t aware of it because they don’t have blurred vision. Due to their eyes’ focusing abilities, they’re able to bend the rays of light to focus them correctly on the retina. If hyperopia isn’t too serious, children with the condition will be able to see clearly, both up close and in the distance.
As their eyes grow and become bigger, their hyperopia will lessen. What are the Symptoms of Hyperopia? If you have hyperopia, you may be experiencing: Blurred eyesight when looking at close-up objects A need to squint to see things clearly Eyestrain, which includes aching eyes (in or around them) or burning eyes
Headaches or discomfort in your eyes after you’ve been doing close-up tasks, such as drawing,
working on the computer, writing or reading When Should You See an Optician? If your level of hyperopia is serious enough that you can’t carry out tasks as well as you want to, or if your vision is affecting day-to-day activities, you should see your optician as soon as you can.
They will be able to establish how serious your farsightedness is and will be able to advise what steps need taking to correct your vision. As hyperopia might not be directly apparent, the NHS recommends that you should get your eyes tested every two years.
However, if you have diabetes, you’re aged 40+ and have a history of glaucoma in your family or you’re aged 70+, you might need more frequent eye tests. How is Hyperopia Diagnosed? Hyperopia can be diagnosed as part of a routine eye test. Using a standard vision test, your optician will be able to determine whether or not you have the condition.
What Can I Expect During an Eye Test? Usually, your eyes will be tested by an optometrist. This is someone who’s specially trained to examine your eyes, and they may conduct many different routine tests.
These include: Measuring the pressure inside your eyes Measuring how well your eyes are working together Asking you to read rows of letters from a chart. This is a visual acuity test with each of the rows of letters getting smaller and smaller as you go along A retinoscopy – during this test, the optician will shine a light into your eye to see how well your eye reacts to it If during these tests, any potential problems are detected with your near vision, the visual acuity tests may be repeated while you’re wearing different strength lenses. This allows the optometrist to establish what prescription, if any, you require in your glasses.
What Does My Glasses Prescription Mean? Should the eye tests indicate that you require glasses/contact lenses to correct your hyperopia, you’ll be given a detailed prescription that shows what lenses are needed to improve your vision. Your prescription will often contain three numbers for each of your eyes.
These are: Cyl (cylinder) – this number will show whether or not you have astigmatism (a common eye condition where your lens or cornea isn’t perfectly curved – this can cause distorted or blurred vision) in either of your eyes Axis – describes the angle of astigmatism detailed above – if you have one
