Our Hendersonville Eye Doctors Answers Nearsightedness and Farsightedness FAQs

Dr. Cannon, Dr. Kilgo, Dr. Kampe and the caring staff at Hendersonville Eye Care are proud to provide optometry services to the residents of Hendersonville, NC, and surrounding communities. We've taken some time to answer some general questions about nearsightedness and farsightedness.

Why Does Nearsightedness and Farsightedness Occur?

The eye sees by bending light rays to a point of focus. In many people, the structure of the eye may cause errors in the way light bends as it focuses images on the retina. The length of the eye may be the problem. In other cases, the curvature of the cornea or the lens of the eye may cause errors in refraction of light. These errors can cause a variety of vision problems that can make everyday tasks more difficult. Optometry can help to correct these problems, so individuals can see more clearly and with less effort.

What Is Nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness, clinically called “myopia,” occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved. Objects can be seen clearly up close, but become fuzzy at a distance. Children may not be able to see the whiteboard at school, or adults may not be able to enjoy a movie or attendance at a sports game because the images are so unclear at a distance. Myopia affects as much as 30 percent of the population in the United States. Research suggests that the tendency to myopia is genetic in origin, but it can also be affected by an individual’s habits in how they use their eyes. It generally develops in childhood, but myopia can also result from visual stress or health conditions, such as diabetes. Vision exams during regular visits at your optometrist can diagnose the problem.

How Does Our Hendersonville Eye Doctor Treat Nearsightedness?

Myopia is treated with corrective eyeglasses, contact lenses, Ortho-K lenses that reshape the cornea as the individual sleeps, LASIK surgery to reshape the cornea or other types of surgery.

What Is Farsightedness?

Farsightedness, clinically called “hyperopia,” is a refractive error that allows clear sight at a distance, but close objects cannot be focused on properly. When the eyeball is too short or when there is not enough curvature to the eyeball, hyperopia can result. Hyperopia can affect both children and adults. About 10 to 30 percent of the U.S. population has this refractive problem. Presbyopia is a type of age-related farsightedness that occurs as people get older. These conditions can be diagnosed during regular eye exams.

How is Farsightedness Treated in Hendersonville?

If the farsightedness is mild, you may not require vision correction. However, your optometrist may prescribe corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses to help you see close work with less difficulty.

Contact Our Hendersonville Optometrist for More Information Today!

Contact Hendersonville Eye Care today at 828-693-5205 for an appointment to discuss the various methods available to correct your vision problems. We offer eye exams, eyeglass fitting, contact lens fitting, ortho-K therapy, computer glasses, sports glasses, LASIK surgery consultation and diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases.