Hyperopia: What Is It, Symptoms, Causes, and How Does It Resolve?

Hyperopia is a vision disorder in which your eyes focus less on nearby objects compared to distant ones.

What Is Hyperopia?

Although hyperopia is known as a problem with near vision, those who are hyperopic, especially after a certain age, often cannot see distant objects very well either. Therefore, hyperopia is not just a near vision problem. However, compared to distant vision, they see nearby objects less clearly.

To fully understand the condition of hyperopia, it is essential to first understand how a normal eye works. The cornea and lens are primarily responsible for focusing the eye. The cornea is the transparent, front surface of the eye. The lens is a structure that changes shape as it focuses on objects inside the eye. The cornea and lens work together to refract incoming light and then focus it on the retina, a layer at the back of the eyeball. The retina receives visual information and sends it to the brain via the optic nerve. A perfectly shaped lens and cornea provide a perfectly focused image. However, if the shape of the cornea is different, the eye cannot focus correctly.

There are varying degrees of hyperopia depending on the eye's ability to focus on nearby objects. If you cannot see nearby objects clearly or experience headaches while reading up close, you may be hyperopic.

What Causes Hyperopia?

When your eyes focus on light rays, they send the image of what you are looking at to your brain. When you are hyperopic, the light rays cannot focus as they should. The cause of your blurry vision may be that the front-to-back axis of your eye is shorter than normal or that your focusing power has weakened. In this case, the image forms at an incorrect location behind the retina, leading to difficulties in focusing on nearby objects.

What Are the Symptoms of Hyperopia?

Symptoms that may indicate you are hyperopic include:

• Inability to focus on nearby objects
• Pain in the head area
• Blurry vision
• Eye fatigue
• Fatigue or headaches after reading something

If you experience these symptoms even while wearing glasses or contact lenses, you may need a new prescription or treatment. It is advisable to consult your doctor.

How Is Hyperopia Diagnosed?

The only thing required to diagnose hyperopia is a basic eye examination. Your doctor will present a chart for you to read. Additionally, a device called a retinoscope may be used during the examination to check how light reflects from your retina, or automatic devices called autorefractometers that perform these measurements are commonly used today. To determine the best prescription for glasses or lenses, a test device called a phoropter or trial frame may also be used.

Adult Eye Examinations

Adults who do not experience vision problems should begin having regular eye examinations starting at age 40. Between the ages of 40 and 54, it is recommended to have an eye exam every 2 to 4 years. For those aged 55 to 64, exams should be conducted every 1 to 3 years, and if you are over 65, an eye exam is recommended every 1 to 2 years.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or if there are individuals with eye diseases in your family, it is important not to wait until you are 40 to have an eye examination and to begin regular eye check-ups.

Children's Eye Examinations

Infants should be examined immediately after birth. One of the main causes of amblyopia (lazy eye) in children is uncorrected hyperopia. Particularly in hyperopic children with a difference of 2 diopters or more between the two eyes, the risk of amblyopia is quite high. The frequency of examinations for children is recommended by the physician based on the findings from the initial exam. Decisions about when the next examination should occur are made based on the findings from each visit.

How Is Hyperopia Treated?

The aim of treating hyperopia is to help focus light correctly on the retina. Hyperopic individuals may need the following for clear near vision:

• Glasses
• Contact lenses
• Refractive surgery (laser surgeries)

Prescription Lenses

In young individuals, treatment is not always necessary because the crystalline lenses inside the eyes are flexible enough to compensate. Depending on your degree of hyperopia, you may need prescription lenses to improve your near vision. This becomes especially relevant as you age and the lenses in your eyes become less flexible.

Using prescription lenses corrects the decreasing curvature of your cornea. The types of prescription lenses include glasses and contact lenses. Glasses are an easy and reliable way to sharpen vision impaired by hyperopia. Contact lenses fit directly on your eye. They come in various materials and designs, including spherical, multifocal, and monovision, as well as soft or hard, gas-permeable options.

Refractive Surgery

These procedures can be applied to certain degrees of hyperopia when the corneal structures are suitable, as with myopia and astigmatism. In this surgical treatment, the curvature of the cornea is reshaped to correct hyperopia.

The methods of refractive surgery are as follows:

• Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK): In this procedure, the eye surgeon creates a thin, hinged flap on the cornea. A laser is then used to adjust the corneal curvatures that correct hyperopia. The recovery process in LASIK surgery is typically faster, and there is less discomfort compared to other corneal surgeries.
• Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratectomy (LASEK): The surgeon makes changes to the epithelium, the outer protective layer of the cornea. A laser is used to reshape the outer layers of the cornea and change its curvature.
• Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK): The only difference from LASEK is that the surgeon completely removes the epithelial layer before using a laser to reshape the cornea. The epithelium is not replaced but naturally regenerates to fit the new shape of the cornea.

There is also the SMILE method, but this method is not yet applicable for hyperopia

What Are the Symptoms of Hyperopia?

Individuals with hyperopia, especially at a young age, generally do not have poor distance vision. However, they may experience headaches, fatigue, concentration difficulties, focus problems, quick tiredness while reading, excessive fatigue after doing close work, eye strabismus in children, and amblyopia.

How to Prevent Hyperopia?

Hyperopia is not something you can prevent, but there are steps you can take to protect your eyes. You should have regular eye exams to address any issues early on.

• If you have chronic conditions that can affect your vision, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, make sure to see your doctor regularly.
• If you have eye problems (like glaucoma), follow your doctor’s treatment plan and adhere to their instructions.
• If you notice changes in your vision, or if you experience pain, discharge, or redness in your eyes, consult your doctor.
• Pay attention to good lighting. Use light correctly for better vision. Prevent eye strain and maintain your near vision with good lighting in your home or office. Take short breaks throughout the day to rest your eyes. A good eye rest technique is to look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes. Resting is particularly important after activities such as reading or using a computer for long periods.
• If you notice sudden changes in your vision, flashes of light, or vision loss, contact your eye doctor immediately.
• Don’t forget to protect your eyes from the sun. Always wear sunglasses that block ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
• Take precautions against eye injuries. Always wear protective eyewear while playing sports, mowing the lawn, painting, or being exposed to toxic fumes.
• Eat healthy foods. Try to consume plenty of leafy greens, other vegetables, and fruits. Research indicates that including omega-3 fatty acid-rich fish like tuna and salmon in your diet can significantly benefit your eye health.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking poses a threat to your eye health, just as it does to the rest of your body.
• Whether or not you have pain in your eyes, if you experience sudden vision loss, blurred vision, double vision, or seeing spots, make sure to consult your doctor and have an eye examination. Do not neglect your eye health.