Farsightedness
Labels Farsightedness
- Definition .
- What Happens If You Are Farsighted?
- What Is Farsightedness?
- How Do Doctors Diagnose and Treat Farsightedness?
Showing posts with label Farsightedness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Farsightedness. Show all posts
Labels Farsightedness
Definition
Farsightedness is an eye disorder that causes objects that are close to a person
to appear out of focus or blurry, while objects at a distance appear clear.
to appear out of focus or blurry, while objects at a distance appear clear.
What Happens If You Are Farsighted?
To people with farsightedness, the words on this page would seem blurry,
unless they were wearing prescription (pre-SKRIP-shun) eyeglasses or contact
lenses designed to correct the problem. But if they looked up from the
page to read a sign across the room, they probably could read it easily.
unless they were wearing prescription (pre-SKRIP-shun) eyeglasses or contact
lenses designed to correct the problem. But if they looked up from the
page to read a sign across the room, they probably could read it easily.
What Is Farsightedness?
In most cases, farsightedness occurs when the eyeball is shorter than normal.
For an object to appear clear, the light passing through the eye must
focus on the retina, a layer of photosensitive cells on the back of the
eye. The retina is like the film in a camera. It is where the image passing
through the eye is projected and then sent along the optic nerve to the
brain. In the brain, the image is developed into what we see. If the eyeball
is too short, the image that is projected onto the retina by close objects is
blurred, and the person is said to be farsighted.
People with farsightedness usually have the disorder from birth. It is
probably inherited from parents; however, just because a parent is farsighted
does not mean the child necessarily will develop the problem
too. Babies and younger children often are able to adapt to the problem.
Muscles around the eyeball can change its shape, making it longer and
allowing the image to be focused properly on the retina. As a child gets
older, however, the muscles cannot do as good a job changing the eyeball’s
shape, and images close up are out of focus.
For an object to appear clear, the light passing through the eye must
focus on the retina, a layer of photosensitive cells on the back of the
eye. The retina is like the film in a camera. It is where the image passing
through the eye is projected and then sent along the optic nerve to the
brain. In the brain, the image is developed into what we see. If the eyeball
is too short, the image that is projected onto the retina by close objects is
blurred, and the person is said to be farsighted.
People with farsightedness usually have the disorder from birth. It is
probably inherited from parents; however, just because a parent is farsighted
does not mean the child necessarily will develop the problem
too. Babies and younger children often are able to adapt to the problem.
Muscles around the eyeball can change its shape, making it longer and
allowing the image to be focused properly on the retina. As a child gets
older, however, the muscles cannot do as good a job changing the eyeball’s
shape, and images close up are out of focus.
How Do Doctors Diagnose and Treat Farsightedness?
It can take many years for the symptoms of farsightedness to become
noticeable. Eventually, people with farsightedness notice problems while
reading or seeing objects that are close, whereas objects that are farther
away remain clear. They also may start to get headaches after reading or
doing other close work, and they may feel as if their eyes are tired.
An ophthalmologist can diagnose farsightedness and correct it easily
with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. These lenses change the focus
of the images passing into the eye so they are projected properly onto the
retina. Surgery to correct the problem is available, but it is not as widely
used as surgery to correct nearsightedness.
Presbyopia
Many people become more farsighted as they age. They
develop a condition known as presbyopia (pres-be-O-pe-a), which is
Latin for “old eyes,” that causes close objects to appear out of focus.
Presbyopia results because the lens at the front of the eyeball becomes
thicker and less flexible as a person ages. This change causes the eye to
have trouble focusing the images passing through the lens. The first sign
of presbyopia may be noticed when adults pass age 40. They start to find
they cannot read the newspaper as well. People joke that their arms are
too short because they try holding the paper or book farther away so they
can see it clearly. People with farsightedness may need stronger prescription
eyeglasses once they pass age 40. People with nearsightedness may
need bifocals.
noticeable. Eventually, people with farsightedness notice problems while
reading or seeing objects that are close, whereas objects that are farther
away remain clear. They also may start to get headaches after reading or
doing other close work, and they may feel as if their eyes are tired.
An ophthalmologist can diagnose farsightedness and correct it easily
with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. These lenses change the focus
of the images passing into the eye so they are projected properly onto the
retina. Surgery to correct the problem is available, but it is not as widely
used as surgery to correct nearsightedness.
Presbyopia
Many people become more farsighted as they age. They
develop a condition known as presbyopia (pres-be-O-pe-a), which is
Latin for “old eyes,” that causes close objects to appear out of focus.
Presbyopia results because the lens at the front of the eyeball becomes
thicker and less flexible as a person ages. This change causes the eye to
have trouble focusing the images passing through the lens. The first sign
of presbyopia may be noticed when adults pass age 40. They start to find
they cannot read the newspaper as well. People joke that their arms are
too short because they try holding the paper or book farther away so they
can see it clearly. People with farsightedness may need stronger prescription
eyeglasses once they pass age 40. People with nearsightedness may
need bifocals.
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