Hyperopia (Farsightedness)
Hyperopia is a condition where close objects are difficult to see. It can be a congenital defect or develop later in life. It is commonly associated with aging. In congenital cases, the lens of the eye is flatter, causing incoming light rays to focus behind the retina. In acquired hyperopia, the eye muscles fail to adjust properly, similarly resulting in the image focusing behind the retina. Individuals with hyperopia often need to hold reading materials at an appropriate distance or use convex lenses for correction.
Hyperopia results in blurry vision due to the image being focused behind the retina. This occurs because of a shorter front-to-back length of the eye or, more rarely, due to the reduced refractive power of the cornea or lens. Depending on the degree of hyperopia and the person's age, some individuals may see distant objects clearly and, in some cases, both near and distant objects. This is due to the strong accommodative ability of younger individuals. However, this can lead to fatigue and discomfort, and the ability to accommodate decreases with age. More than 10% of the population requires glasses or other corrective measures to manage hyperopia.
Although hyperopes are often thought to see distant objects well but struggle with close objects, this is only partially true. In young individuals with strong accommodative power, hyperopia might not cause noticeable issues, even for near vision. However, as accommodation diminishes with age, symptoms first appear in near vision and later in distance vision as well.