A person with nearsightedness can see things that are near but cannot see things that are far away clearly, while a person with farsightedness can see things that are far away but cannot see things that are near clearly. Nearsightedness and farsightedness are also known as nearsightedness and farsightedness, respectively. The range of things an individual can see clearly differs from person to person, as any of the conditions can be mild or severe.
Both nearsightedness and farsightedness are refractive errors. Light entering the eye is supposed to bend and hit the retina, the part of the eye that focuses images. A refractive error means that the eye cannot correctly bend light, making objects appear blurry. With nearsightedness, refractive error occurs when the retina is too far away for light to reach it. Just the opposite is true with farsightedness; the light travels too far and hits behind the retina.
There are no measures an individual can take to prevent nearsightedness and farsightedness from occurring. Either condition can affect families and affect anyone. Also, sometimes farsightedness can be present in a child at birth, but when this is the case, the condition will usually go away on its own as the child grows older.
The symptoms of myopia and hyperopia are direct. For nearsightedness, things that are too far away appear blurry. For farsightedness, things that are too close are blurry. A person who is nearsighted or farsighted may need to squint to see these blurry objects clearly. This can lead to eyestrain, which can then lead to headaches.
In addition to having vision difficulties, nearsightedness and farsightedness have connections to other medical conditions. For example, severe nearsightedness can increase an individual's risk of developing an eye disease known as glaucoma. In addition, retinal tear or detachment, a medical emergency that can lead to vision loss, can also occur with nearsightedness. Signs of retinal detachment include suddenly seeing flashing lights or floating spots, as well as having partial vision loss.
A person who is nearsighted or farsighted might want to take steps to help them get better vision. This may include getting an eye exam and getting glasses or contact lenses. In the case of nearsightedness, you may want to consider laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) eye surgery, a medical procedure that corrects the condition.