If you are having trouble seeing things clearly, you may have one of two conditions: hyperopia or myopia. Both of these conditions can cause problems with your vision, but they are quite different from each other. Quite often, we see people getting confused between the two. With this in mind, let’s explore the differences between hyperopia and myopia, including the symptoms, causes, and treatments.
Everything You Need to Know About Hyperopia
What is Hyperopia?
Firstly, let’s take a look at hyperopia. Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, is a condition in which distant objects appear clear, but close objects appear blurry. People with hyperopia can often see well at a distance, but they may have trouble reading or doing other close-up work.
To get technical for a moment, hyperopia occurs when the eyeball is too short or the cornea has too little curvature; this causes light to be focused behind, rather than directly on, the retina. As a result, distant objects look clear but close objects appear blurry. Remember, the name – farsightedness in this case – is where somebody can see, not where they can’t.
Symptoms of Hyperopia
Ultimately, a professional such as those at Microprism Optics might diagnose hyperopia when the following symptoms are experienced:
- Difficulty seeing objects up close
- Headaches
- Eye fatigue
Causes of Hyperopia
There are a few reasons somebody might be hyperopic, and usually, it’s genetic. In other words, if your parents are/were farsighted, you will likely be too. Additionally, the shape of your eyeball could play a role. If your eyeball is too short or flat, the light might not hit the retina directly, making distant objects appear blurry
Treating Hyperopia
If you’re hyperopic, there are a few different ways your vision can be corrected. As you probably know, the most common method is glasses or contact lenses. These work by bending the light that comes into your eye, so it hits the retina directly. Suddenly, you will see objects more clearly.
Elsewhere, if your hyperopia is mild, you might not need vision correction at all. Your eye muscles are pretty strong, and they can sometimes compensate for minor problems.
Everything You Need to Know About Myopia
What is Myopia?
On the other hand, myopia is pretty much the opposite of hyperopia. If you’re myopic, it means that your eyeball is too long, or your cornea is too curved. This causes light to hit the retina before it should, and objects in the distance will appear blurry. Meanwhile, your vision over a shorter distance is much stronger.
Symptoms of Myopia
How do you know if you’re myopic? Well, symptoms of myopia are similar to those of hyperopia. If you’re myopic, you’ll have trouble seeing objects in the distance, and they’ll appear blurry. However, you should still be able to see things up close without any problems. Elsewhere, you could end up with headaches, eye strain, and fatigue from squinting too much.
Causes of Myopia
Once again, the cause of myopia is similar to that of hyperopia. In short, it’s all about the shape of your eye. If your eyeball is too long, or if your cornea is too curved, the light will bend incorrectly and cause distance vision to be blurry. Myopia can be caused by genetics, but it usually develops during childhood when the eyeball is still growing.
Treating Myopia
Like hyperopia, myopia can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. But again, if your myopia is mild, you might not need vision correction at all. If your myopia is more severe, you might need to wear glasses or contacts all the time. In some cases, people with myopia can have surgery to correct the problem.
