Hyperopia: Signs, Causes and Options
Valley Laser Eye Centre | Conditions
About Hyperopia
What Is Hyperopia?
Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness, longsightedness or hypermetropia, is a common – and very treatable – vision problem. If you have hyperopia, you have probably been prescribed glasses or contacts to help you see.
What Causes Hyperopia?
Hyperopia occurs when the cornea is too flat or the eye is too short. When light rays from distant objects enter the uncorrected eye, they converge behind the retina so the image is unfocused. Laser eye surgery moves the image forward onto the retina and this gives crisp, clear vision.
The Symptoms
What Are The Signs of Hyperopia?
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Great difficulty focusing on objects up-close, but seeing better in the distance
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In some cases, faraway objects may also appear blurred, depending on severity
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Can often be associated with a lazy eye (amblyopia)
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Can be associated with crossed eyes (strabismus)
The Options
What are my options to correct my vision?
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ICL
It’s the procedure of choice for patients with myopia aged below 50.
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RLE
This is usually the best option for people aged 50 and up, especially if they want to correct near vision as well as distance.
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LASIK
A good option when you want rapid recovery of vision
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PRK
A less expensive and proven surgery that maintain corneal integrity.
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Did You Know?
People with hyperopia are usually good candidate for refractive lens exchange
Frequently Asked Questions
High hyperopia usually refers to a prescription greater than +5.00 diopters. People with higher prescriptions often have difficulty focusing on both near and distant objects and may rely heavily on corrective lenses.
Yes. Hyperopia can become more noticeable with age because the eye’s natural lens gradually loses its ability to focus. This can make close-up tasks like reading or using a phone more difficult.
Hyperopia often runs in families. If one or both parents are farsighted, their children may be more likely to develop the condition.
However, the exact prescription and severity can vary between individuals.
Yes. People with hyperopia often strain their eyes to focus on nearby objects.
This extra effort can lead to symptoms such as:
- Eye fatigue
- Headaches
- Difficulty concentrating during reading or screen use
Hyperopia is a structural focusing issue, so exercises cannot correct it.
However, several vision correction procedures can adjust how light focuses in the eye, reducing or eliminating the need for glasses or contact lenses.
People with mild hyperopia can sometimes compensate by using the eye’s natural focusing ability.
However, this extra effort can cause eye strain over time, especially when doing close-up work like reading.