Of all vision defects, hypermetropia (farsightedness) is one of the most common yet least known, affecting approximately 5% of the population.
People with hypermetropia have difficulty focusing on near objects, such as books or newspapers, and more distant objects. In this article, we will explore what hypermetropia is and how to counteract this phenomenon with the help of an ophthalmologist.
What is Hypermetropia?
Hypermetropia is the opposite refractive defect of myopia. It occurs when light from both near and distant objects is not perfectly focused on the retina but on a plane behind it, forcing the eye’s internal muscles to make a continuous effort to focus images.
Hypermetropia is due to a shortened axial length of the eyeball compared to standard and lower refractive power of the cornea and lens. In mild hypermetropia, the eye can compensate for the defect if the patient is young. However, as the patient ages, the fault may become more pronounced because the vision is no longer able to compensate.
Causes and Symptoms of Hypermetropia
The possible causes of hypermetropia are:
- An insufficient corneal curvature
- A poorly formed lens
- The eye being too short
People with hypermetropia have difficulty looking at near and far objects, which may cause them to squint. The ciliary muscle is under continuous stress to compensate for the defect by changing the shape of the lens to focus the image on the retina. Therefore, some common symptoms of hypermetropia may include:
- Burning
- Eye pain and headaches after reading, writing, or working on a computer
- More or less intense tearing of the eye
- Hypersensitivity to light
How to Treat Hypermetropia
The diagnosis and prescription of glasses or contact lenses should be made exclusively by an ophthalmologist, ideally in collaboration with an orthoptist. Hypermetropia is one of the most common causes of strabismus in children and the development of amblyopia (lazy eye). If not treated, it can lead to permanent visual deficits in young patients with difficulties even in school learning.
In adulthood, hypermetropia can also be corrected by laser, achieving very high levels of safety and precision. The following are some of the possible techniques that a specialist can propose to an individual patient following a preoperative examination and advise on the best course of action in each case:
- Femto Lasik
- Phaco-refractive surgery
- Phakic lenses (in selected cases)
Femto Lasik is a rapid procedure, and just 24 hours after surgery, vision is typically ideal and stabilizes after a few days. Phaco-refractive surgery involves replacing the crystalline lens with an artificial one. This technique is used in cases where laser surgery is not possible.
