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Have you ever been asked whether you know the difference between nearsighted vs. farsighted eye vision? If you still don’t know the correct response, here’s the guide that answers it for you.
Both these conditions—nearsightedness (myopia) and farsightedness (hyperopia)—are not considered eye diseases. Instead, they are called refractive errors, which refer to the slight abnormality of the eye that affects its ability to bend light.
Light enters through the eye’s pupils and is supposed to concentrate on the retina, which is the thin tissue layer in the back of the eyes. When the light fails to focus properly, it could result in blurry vision.
What’s crucial to understand is that one condition is not worse than the other. They both impair your vision and affect your activities of daily living. However, they can be corrected using prescription glasses or contact lenses, or even surgery.
Nearsightedness or myopia refers to the difficulty of seeing objects at a distance. You can only see things clearly when they are close to you.
Nearsighted vision happens when your eyeball is longer than normal. Light rays that are supposed to focus directly on the retina end up concentrating at a point in front of this thin tissue layer.
When you have this refractive error, your retina has trouble passing light off to your optic nerve, which signals the brain to interpret what you see. The result is blurred vision that gets worse the further the object that you are looking at.
As said, the shape of the eye can indicate whether you have myopia. If your cornea or lens is too rounded, the light will fail to focus directly on the retina.
Some studies by the American Refractive Surgery Council also suggest that environmental factors can cause nearsightedness. If you spend too much time in front of computers, electronic readers, and mobile phones, you are elevating your risk for myopia.
Blurriness when seeing at a distance is the most dominant symptom of nearsighted vision. You may find it difficult to read road signs or handwritten texts on a whiteboard. Additionally, you will have trouble recognizing faces from afar. These symptoms are the most telling difference between nearsighted vs. farsighted vision.
You will tend to strain your eyes to force yourself to see from a distance, which could cause other symptoms like headache, eye squinting, and eye soreness or fatigue.
Improving your vision is the key goal when treating myopia. You can wear corrective lenses to counteract the increased length of your eyeball or your cornea’s high curvature. You can choose from prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses to help you see better at a distance.
There are also refractive surgeries available if you don’t want to wear prescription lenses all the time. You can undergo LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) that corrects the shape of the cornea.
Technically called hyperopia, farsightedness indicates that you can see distant objects better than when trying to look at anything near you. For example, you may have no trouble reading a stop sign from afar but find it difficult to read texts if your phone is too close to your face.
Like myopia, farsighted vision is also dependent on the shape of your eye. With this eye condition, your cornea does not have the normal curvature and is flat instead. Your eyeball has a decreased length as well.
In hyperopia, the light focuses beyond the retina, which is supposed to be concentrated directly on the retina itself. The effect is the opposite of nearsightedness: your vision becomes blurry when trying to see far objects.
If you suffer from farsightedness, you will have trouble reading or seeing anything up close. If you are trying to read anything just a few inches away from your face, you might only notice a blur that makes it difficult to identify the words.
People with hyperopia often squint their eyes to see better. There may also be an aching or burning sensation for anyone with severe farsightedness. It could also cause headaches and pain, especially when you strain your eyes to focus on nearby objects.
The best solution for farsightedness is to correct and improve vision, much like in myopia, too. Prescription lenses are the go-to for these eye conditions, allowing you to see clearly in a non-invasive way.
You can choose between eyeglasses and contact lenses, which are both shown to be effective in helping you see better at a shorter distance. Also, you can undergo LASIK or other refractive surgeries to correct the curvature of the cornea.
Prescription eyeglasses are the most common way to correct vision problems like myopia and hyperopia. Here are a few pointers to consider when shopping for one:
If you have extreme myopia, your prescribed lenses will be thick, which you likely don’t want to show when wearing glasses. You can choose a thick plastic frame that will hide the lens nicely.
Since these eye conditions are commonly progressive, you should get a checkup regularly to update your prescription. Having the right lenses prevents you from developing headaches and vision problems due to the outdated prescription.
To help you decide on a purchase, you can refer to a guide for the best eyeglass frames that match your face shape.
You can choose from metal or plastic material when selecting frames based on your preferences. However, both types have pros and cons, so it’s best to weigh them before purchasing.
The fun part of dealing with vision problems is that you get to shop for the best eyeglasses for your prescription lenses. You have so many colors and designs to choose from, and we’ll recommend some of them for you.
The Abyssinia is a chic cat eye glasses frame that can be used for both mild myopia and hyperopia. It can be a trendy addition to your outfit! The modern design allows you to boast a smart and stylish look and enhances your facial features beautifully.
The small and narrow dimensions of the Afton is a pair of rectangle glasses. And it prevents your vision from getting distorted once you wear them. This frame also has thin rims that offer a minimalist appeal, which works great for wearers who want to look intelligent and trustworthy.
Experts recommend thick-framed rectangular or round glasses frames for high myopia, and the Virginia specs fit the bill. It is just the right size and boasts a fun design that transforms any plain get-up into a fashionable one.
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