Dr. Suvarna Mohan Koppikar

Hypermetropia, commonly known as long-sightedness, is a common vision condition in which distant objects appear clear, but nearby objects seem blurry or foggy. A person's ability to focus is greatly dependent on the degree of farsightedness. This condition of the eye is usually observed at birth and is also hereditary to some extent. Although, contact lenses and eye glasses are common methods of treatment, surgeries are also an option.

Before getting to understand the causes one should be aware of the structure of the eye.

The eye has two parts that focus on images:

- The clear surface at the front of the eye known as the cornea

- The second part is the lens, which is a clear structure

In a normal eye, these clear surfaces have a smooth curvature. The cornea and the lens bend or refract the incoming light to direct a sharply focused image on the retina, situated at the back of your eye.

Hypermetropia is caused when:

- The cornea or lens in the eye is not even or smoothly curved. In such cases, light rays are focussed behind retina which gives a blurry vision.

- The condition can also occur when the cornea of the eye is not curved enough. A shorter than the normal eye can also lead to such a condition. Convergent squint with eyes turning in is common in hypermetropes.

Due to these factors, the image is not precisely focused on the retina, causing blurry vision for nearby objects.

Some of the symptoms of farsightedness include:

- Objects that are close may appear blurry or cloudy

- Squinting the eyes might be necessary for viewing clearly

- A person may experience strain in the eye, aching and even inflammation in and around the eye

- Prolonged periods of close task like reading, writing or drawing may cause discomfort in the eye or minor headaches

Chronic eye strain and cross eyes are some of the commonly observed complications. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ophthalmologist.