Do you challenges seeing objects that are within arms reach? you may possibly have hyperopia. But it may also be presbyopia. Truth be told, they are both similar, but have different causes. As such, they have different treatments as well.
Farsightedness (hyperopia) occurs when light rays that enter the eye do not focus directly on the retina, in fact they would come to focus behind it. This is the result of the actual length of the eyeball being too short. People can have hyperopia at any age. Young children will often out grow hyperopia as they become older. But if they do not, hyperopia can be treated with corrective lenses, either glasses or contact lenses. Laser surgery, such as LASIK, is also an option.
On the other hand, presbyopia also causes people to have diffculty seeing at near, but is age related. It is caused by the crystalline lens, inside the eye, actually hardening with age. The visual effect is very much like hyperopia; difficulty seeing up close. In general, this is corrected with lenses. Reading glasses are commonly used when viewing objects up close. Another choice is contact lenses to produce monovision, when one lens corrects the distance vision, if needed, and the other lens corrects the near vision. Wearers then train themselves to use one eye for reading and the other eye for seeing things in the distance. Very similar to bifocal or progressive eyeglasses, multifocal contact lenses can correct presbyopia.
Hyperopia only effects some and it is possible to treat it with surgery. Presbyopia will eventually effect us all, but until very recently was not treated with surgery. Once the lens in the eye loses it’s flexibility seeing up close is nearly impossible, it is then time for treatment. Though a couple surgical options are available for presbyopia, nothing beats the safe and affordable option of reading glasses. They are safe and do not require anesthesia of lasers near the eye, plus they can be very stylish too. Once a person has accepted that they need reading glasses, they may as well get a pair that will be fashionable too.
