Difference between Nearsighted and Farsighted

You’ve undoubtedly heard the terms, maybe long before you had any idea what they meant.

What is the Difference Bewteen Nearsighted and Farsighted?

Nearsightedness, technically known as myopia, and farsightedness, technically known as hyperopia. They’re far and away the two most common vision conditions, and they’re fairly self explanatory. Nearsighted people can see well at a distance but have trouble in close, while farsighted people enjoy strong vision in close but cannot clearly see distant objects. Here are some facts about each:

Farsightedness

• Occurs when the eyeball is too short, or abnormal shape of the cornea or lens
• Is less common than nearsightedness
• Affects approximately five to ten percent of all Americans
• Affects both children and adults
• People whose parents are farsighted may also be more likely to get the condition
• Can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery

Nearsightedness

• Occurs when the eyeball is too long, or abnormal shape of the cornea or lens
• Is more common than farsightedness
• Affects approximately twenty-five percent of all Americans
• Affects both children and adults
• Is often diagnosed in children between 8 and 12 years of age and may worsen during the teen years
• Usually changes little between ages 20 and 40, but may worsen with age
• People whose parents are nearsighted may also be more likely to get the condition
• Can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery

Symptoms of Farsightedness

• Squinting is required to see clearly
• Nearby objects appear blurry
• Eyestrain, including burning eyes and aching in or around the eyes, is experienced
• General eye discomfort is experienced, or the onset of a headache after prolonged intervals of close tasks, such as reading, writing, or computer work

Symptoms of Nearsightedness

• Squinting or partial closing of the eyelids is required to see clearly
• Distant objects appear blurry
• Need to sit closer to a TV or movie screen, or hold reading material closer, to see clearly
• Headaches can be caused by the excessive eyestrain
• Difficulty seeing while driving a vehicle, especially at night, is experienced

Both nearsightedness and farsightedness are refractive errors, meaning the shape of the eye prevents light from focusing perfectly on the retina. These errors can be caused by changes in the cornea’s shape, eyeball length that is too short or too long, and/or normal aging of the eye’s lens.

Eyeglasses and contact lens application are the most popular corrective measures, but surgery has also become a common procedure. Surgical methods include laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), laser-assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and intraocular lens (IOL) implant.