Hyperopia is a very common refractive error, as much or more than myopia, although the ocular deficiencies it generates usually go unnoticed, since mild hyperopias are often asymptomatic during youth.
In the hyperopic eye the cornea and the crystalline lens have insufficient refractive power in relation to the axial length of the eyeball. This results in images of objects forming slightly behind the retina, looking blurred. The young lens is able to “accommodate” itself, increasing its refractive power to compensate for a certain degree of blurriness. In cases of low hyperopia, a young patient will have good eyesight; but in cases of severe hyperopia and as the accommodative ability of the lens decreases (because of age), the visual defect and its associated symptoms will appear
The main manifestation of hyperopia is blurred vision, which can occur at all distances, but generally vision will be worse up close than from far away; contrary to what happens in myopia the main symptom which is blurred vision for long distances.
To view the focused images, the hyperopic eye has to make a continuous accommodative effort and sometimes that sustained muscular effort leads to the appearance of headaches and certain eye deficiencies such as convergent strabismus, visual fatigue and eye irritation.
Ocular deficiency resulting from hyperopia is corrected using eyeglasses and contact lenses. Currently there are advanced techniques of laser vision correction and completely safe and effective intraocular lenses, which definitely solve the problem of hyperopia, astigmatism and eye strain; providing excellent visual quality.
