Dr. William Boothe Discusses Farsightedness

What Is Farsightedness?

Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is the inability to focus your vision on nearby objects. This eye disorder usually develops after the age of forty and can be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery.

What Causes Hyperopia?

Farsightedness is an optical defect of the eye that results in an inability to see close objects clearly. In hyperopia, light beams are not focused on the retina. In such case, the image you see is formed behind the retina, says Dr. William Boothe.

Farsightedness develops when the eye length is too short and the cornea is not curved enough (has a weak refractive power), or when the lens is disposed deeper than in a normal eye. As you age, the lens capsule becomes less elastic, and as a result the ability to focus up close decreases. Thus, on average, ten-year-olds have 14 diopters optical power, and the power falls to 4.5 diopters in a forty-year-olds and to 1 diopter in sixty-year-olds.

Hyperopia can be caused by paralysis of accommodation. This condition is connected with the relaxation of ciliary muscle, which leads to lens flattening, and as a result, lens refractive power decreases.

Farsightedness is also connected with the rise in eye pressure. Dr. Boothe explains that owing to the relaxation of iris circular muscle, the pupil dilates and, at the same time, the corners of the eye’s front section are closed and the outflow of intraocular fluid is hampered., the pressure rises in the eye.

What Are The Symptoms of Hyperopia?

Farsightedness noticeably affects your reading ability. Afarsighted person can hold text very close to his/her eyes, and the image does not become clearer but just enlarged.

When perfomring activities such as writing for a long time, fatigue, headache, tingling and burning sensation are felt in the eyes, and watering of the eyes may occur. One can also experience discomfort sensations when looking at light, or even an intolerance of bright lights, which is known as photophobia. All these symptoms are connected with the development of hyperopia.

How to Diagnose Farsightedness?

Diagnosis of hyperopia usually includes an examination by an ophthalmologist, an ophthalmoscopy procedure, and an ultrasonic examination of the eyeball. Dr. Boothe and his staff may also examine the front section of the eye with a side illumination technique, determine the refraction with the help of test lenses, as well as perform an examination of the binocular function of the eyes.

How to Treat Hyperopia?

The treatment of farsightedness begins with the right correction. There are three most common vision correction options: prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery. According to Dr. Boothe of Boothe Eyecare, Lasik vision correction procedure is the most common eye surgery performed on farsighted people and is a very effective alternative to using eyeglasses or contact lenses. Another option, known as Intraocular Lens (IOL) implant, is an alternative to Lasik that may be offered to patients. It is recommended in some cases of severe hyperopia, myopia, or thin corneas, if these eye problems cannot be treated with Lasik surgery.

What Is The Danger of Farsightedness?

When progressing, hyperopia may lead to abnormality in the intraocular fluid outflow. As a result, eye pressure rises and may be a factor for glaucoma development.