Everyone's eyes are different, and so is vision. When you read the words "eye problems," your first thought might be related to myopia or blurry vision. However, there are other conditions that can affect your eyesight that you might not immediately identify as such. If you can easily see objects at a far distance from you but experience difficulty seeing or focusing on closer ones, you might have farsightedness. Keep reading to learn about this common eye condition, its symptoms and treatments, and where to find an excellent eye care center in Billings, MT.
What Is Farsightedness?
Farsightedness is a common vision problem in which you exhibit difficulty seeing close objects, but you can see far ones clearly. Known technically as hyperopia, this eye condition is often hereditary and usually present at birth. Nowadays, there are different treatments you can follow to alleviate this issue, such as wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses or even undergoing corrective surgery.
Just as with other eyesight problems, farsightedness has different degrees of severity. Some people have it very mild and can focus their eyes on close-up objects at least a little or for short periods. On the other hand, when someone can only see clearly when things are far away and cannot focus their eyes on closer ones, they are likely severely farsighted.
Causes of Farsightedness
Farsightedness is a refractive defect. Your cornea, the clear and outer eye layer, and the lens, an inner eye part, help the eye focus. Together, they refract incoming light onto your retina at the back of your eye, which receives visual information that it then sends to the optic nerve. When one or all of these components are damaged or have a different shape than average, they can cause refractive errors. Examples of this include:
Having a flat or oddly shaped cornea.
Having a longer or shorter eyeball than normal.
Your eye lens aging.
Having parents with refractive errors makes it more likely that you will, too.
Symptoms of Farsightedness
Sometimes, signs of eye conditions can be subtle or get mistaken for other possible causes. If your eye muscles are forced to work harder to see anything up-close, you may experience symptoms such as:
Blurry vision when trying to focus your sight on up-close things
Difficulty seeing objects that are nearby
Squinting or stressing eyes to see clearly
Headaches, burning eyes, or eye pain after prolonged time doing tasks such as writing, reading, drawing, or working with a computer
Eyestrain or aching in or around the eyes
Dry eyes
Overall eye discomfort
Treatment Options
To help you better focus light on the retina, your eye doctor may recommend corrective treatments like eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery:
Eyeglasses
Farsightedness can be easily corrected with the lenses in eyeglasses. Eyeglasses can accomplish this by altering how light focuses on your retina. What sort of lenses you require and how often you should wear them depends on how farsighted you are, the shape of your cornea, and the size of your eye.
Contact Lenses
Contact lenses work similarly to eyeglasses in that they correct the way light bends. But, unlike eyeglasses, contact lenses are small and sit directly on the eyeball's surface. They are usually more secure, comfortable, and convenient since they are available in many different materials. However, you may encounter difficulties that prevent you from wearing them. Dry eyes, allergies, and recurring eye infections could pose a problem.
Refractive Surgery
You can get refractive surgery using a laser to alter the shape of your cornea. These procedures can correct farsightedness by adjusting your eyes' focus. If you prefer not to wear contacts or eyeglasses, refractive surgery can help you minimize or even remove your reliance on them.
Billings Eye Care | Marion Opticians
Farsightedness is a common vision problem that can get in the way of your daily life. But gone are the days when your eye focusing wrongly meant a permanent concern! At Marion Opticians, we have over 65 years of experience providing the best optometry services and vision care products in Billings, MT. The goal of our experienced and knowledgeable eye doctor and staff is to assist you in getting the best eye care product to fit your optical needs perfectly. Visit our office to browse our vast eyewear collection and receive professional eye examinations in a comfortable and friendly environment. Book an appointment online, or call us at (406) 259-6786 today!