What is hyperopia?
Hyperopia is a refractive error in which images form behind the retina. To better understand the meaning of ocular hypermetropia, imagine the image of a given object passing through the eye. This image is focused so as to converge to a point located at a given distance. With normal vision, this point of convergence, where the image is focused, is the retina. That is, in a normal eye the image must form on the retina. In turn, the retina transmits information to the brain via the optic nerve.
In the eye with farsightedness, or farsightedness, the image is not formed correctly on the retina – but is formed from behind. Therefore, the image transmitted to the brain is not the correct image (see photos above).
The patient sees poorly near and far and for the images to be clear, he makes a great eye effort.
Symptoms of hypermetropia
Eye fatigue (“tired eyes”) and headaches are the first symptoms of farsightedness. The effort that the patient makes to overcome the disability may be the cause of these manifestations, more frequent in the late afternoon and after work or reading.
Until the age of 35/40, the age at which the capacity for accommodation begins to decline, low hypermetropia often goes unnoticed.
Great farsightedness, on the other hand, is easily noticeable in children because it is often accompanied by accommodative strabismus, and should be corrected as soon as possible.
Therefore, it is important to know what hypermetropia is and how to correct this refractive error, as it can cause numerous symptoms that take away a lot of quality of life for patients.
Causes of hypermetropia
Hyperopia can have two essential causes: either because the cornea has an altered curvature, that is, it is flatter than normal, or because the length of the eye is smaller than normal. Large values of hyperopia are usually related to hereditary hyperopia.
Diopters in ocular hypermetropia
There are 3 degrees of farsightedness:
- Light, from 0 to 2 diopters;
- Moderate, from 2 to 6 diopters;
- High, greater than 6 diopters.
Infantile farsightedness
The term infantile or childhood hypermetropia is used whenever refractive error affects children.
The first ophthalmological consultation should take place in the first year of life, to screen for refractive errors, namely anisometropias, thus avoiding possible amblyopias.
It is estimated that 10 to 15% of school-age children have vision problems that can influence behaviour and school performance. For this reason, in children with hypermetropia, it is important for parents to be aware of any signs and symptoms reported by children.
Children who suffer from hypermetropia may be tired, sleepy and lack concentration, due to having to exercise great accommodation to focus objects on the retina. Therefore, the correction of hyperopia must be carried out as quickly as possible.
When hyperopia in children is present in only one eye, it is even more difficult to observe any alteration, as the child has absolutely normal behavior.
Most children do not know how to refer when they do not see well. He believes that the vision he has is normal because he has never seen better.
Early detection of vision problems in children is essential not only to avoid permanent visual impairment (amblyopia) but also to avoid problems not only in learning but also in the child’s development.
Is hypermetropia curable?
Unfortunately, farsightedness has no cure. However, the correction methods currently available make it possible to offer patients with farsightedness a perfectly normal life. See below how to correct, or treat, hyperopia.
Hyperopia treatment
In hypermetropia, the treatment (correction of the refractive error) can be carried out with glasses, or contact lenses or from the age of 20, the patient can be operated through laser (LASIK). Hyperopia can also be corrected with the use of intraocular lenses depending on the anatomical conditions of the eyeball.
If the patient is over 45 years old, treatment for farsightedness can be performed by phacoemulsification with intraocular multifocal lenses allowing good visual acuity at all distances without glasses.
Lenses for farsightedness
Farsightedness can be compensated by using a lens for convergent (convex) farsightedness, which focuses the image on the retina.
These lenses are thicker in the center than in the periphery and the difference in thickness is greater the hypermetropia.
Hyperopia and myopia
Hyperopia and myopia are two types of refractive errors of the eyeball. The difference between myopia and hyperopia is the following: in myopia, objects are focused in front of the retina, while in hyperopia, images are formed behind the retina.
Hyperopia and astigmatism
Farsightedness and astigmatism can exist simultaneously (together). Astigmatism and farsightedness are two types of refractive errors. Treatment of farsightedness with astigmatism can be done with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.
Farsightedness surgery
Farsightedness surgery can be performed using a laser (LASIK) or intraocular lenses. Surgery for hyperopia allows correction of the refractive error, however, not all patients meet the necessary conditions to undergo the operation.
Farsightedness and astigmatism surgery allows you to correct both refractive errors.
