Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAge It StartsCausesSymptomsTreatmentSide EffectsCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Age It Starts
Causes
Symptoms
Treatment
Side Effects
Coping
Why Age-Farsightedness Happens
With age comes changes to thelens of your eye. The lens is at the front of the eye, tucked behind that colored iris. It focuses light rays on theretinaat the back of the eye.
In its normal function, small muscles attached to the lens change its shape as you focus on different distances, allowing the light rays to land on the retina. However, with age, the lens becomes stiffer and cannot do this as well, making it more difficult to see up close. This affects tasks like reading or performing tasks up close.
Myopia vs. HyperopiaWith myopia, objects that are far away look blurry because the eye is longer than usual from front to back. As a result, light rays land in front of the light-sensitive retina instead of directly on it, making it difficult to clearly see things that are a ways away.Hyperopia causes light rays to land in front of the retina, making objects up close look blurry. It can occur because the eye is shorter than usual. It may also occur if there’s an issue with the lens or the clearcorneaat the front of the eye.
Myopia vs. Hyperopia
With myopia, objects that are far away look blurry because the eye is longer than usual from front to back. As a result, light rays land in front of the light-sensitive retina instead of directly on it, making it difficult to clearly see things that are a ways away.Hyperopia causes light rays to land in front of the retina, making objects up close look blurry. It can occur because the eye is shorter than usual. It may also occur if there’s an issue with the lens or the clearcorneaat the front of the eye.
With myopia, objects that are far away look blurry because the eye is longer than usual from front to back. As a result, light rays land in front of the light-sensitive retina instead of directly on it, making it difficult to clearly see things that are a ways away.
Hyperopia causes light rays to land in front of the retina, making objects up close look blurry. It can occur because the eye is shorter than usual. It may also occur if there’s an issue with the lens or the clearcorneaat the front of the eye.
Some vision-related symptoms to look for include:
How to Get an Eye ExamEye specialists such as an ophthalmologist or an optometrist can perform a comprehensive eye exam and prescribe glasses, contact lenses, and any needed medications. The National Eye Institute recommends using look-up tools tolocate an optometristorfind an ophthalmologist. Or, you may want to ask your family or friends to recommend an eye doctor they like.
How to Get an Eye Exam
Eye specialists such as an ophthalmologist or an optometrist can perform a comprehensive eye exam and prescribe glasses, contact lenses, and any needed medications. The National Eye Institute recommends using look-up tools tolocate an optometristorfind an ophthalmologist. Or, you may want to ask your family or friends to recommend an eye doctor they like.
Eyeglasses, Contact Lenses, and Surgical Treatment
If your ophthalmologist or optometrist determines you need other vision issues corrected, like being able to see clearly at a distance, then you may benefit from glasses such as the following:
Beyond corrective lenses, there are also surgical options. A surgeon can reshape the clear dome of the cornea usinglaser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)surgery and give you monovision.
Because with monovision one eye can view things more clearly up close while you can rely on the other for distance, your eye doctor may suggest that you try this approach temporarily using contact lenses before undergoing surgical treatment.
A Word From Verywell
—ANDREW GREENBERG, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Comorbidities and Secondary Side Effects
Coping Through Ongoing Vision Changes
Summary
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Eye Institute.Nearsightedness (myopia).
National Eye Institute.Farsightedness (hyperopia).
National Eye Institute.Finding an eye doctor.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Corneal inlays: a surgical alternative to reading glasses.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.LASIK: laser eye surgery.
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