What’s The Difference Between Being Nearsighted And Farsighted?

You may have been told that you are “nearsighted” or “farsighted” and may be confused about how they are different. They are both “refractive disorders,” the most common reason for most of the country’s diminished vision. Refraction refers to how light is focused as it enters your eye. In a perfect eyesight world, the light would be perfectly and sharply focused onto your retina – the lining on the inside of your eye – and your brain would perceive a clear world view.

Am I Nearsighted or Farsighted?

If you are nearsighted, you see things clearer the closer they are. The further away an object is, the blurrier it becomes to you. Nearsightedness (myopia) is a common condition in which light entering your eye is not focused properly onto your retina, making it difficult to see objects far away. Nearsightedness is usually caused by an elongation of your eyeball that occurs over time.

Farsightedness (hyperopia) is the opposite of myopia and is usually caused by shortening of your eyeball; closer objects appear blurred and your distance vision is clear. Activities like reading and knitting are difficult, because nearby objects appear unfocused.

What Are My Vision Options?

When deciding on how to treat nearsightedness or farsightedness, talk with your doctor to determine the best route to take.

You may love the look and versatility of glasses; you may want the convenience of contact lenses; you may want a more permanent option with vision correction surgery. If you decide on the daily choice of glasses and/or contacts, you’ll need a different prescription for each; your prescription for contacts has more information on it, like the diameter and base curve of the lens. Also, the corrective power may vary, since glasses sit about 12 millimeters away from your cornea.

Another option may be LASIK, a quick outpatient procedure that reshapes your cornea, providing you sharp vision indefinitely. To determine if you would be a good candidate for LASIK, schedule a consultation with one of our doctors.

Schedule a Consultation

Remember to stay current on your prescription with regular eye exams. This ensures sharp vision and that any eye conditions will be found before they become serious. If it’s been a while since your last eye exam, call to schedule an appointment, today: (800) 676-5050.