Have you ever had trouble reading something that was a few feet away from you? Or have you had to hold a book or object really close to your face in order to see it clearly? If so, then you may be nearsighted. Nearsightedness is a refractive error that causes someone to be able to see objects clearly only when they are close up. On the other hand, if you have difficulty seeing things that are far away, then you may be farsighted. Farsightedness is a refractive error that causes someone to be able to see objects clearly only when they are far away. So, what’s the difference between nearsightedness and farsightedness? Let’s take a closer look.
What is Near Sightedness?
Near-sightedness or myopia is a refractive error in the eye that causes distant objects to appear blurry. It typically develops in childhood and continues into adulthood. Near-sightedness occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, has too much curve.
This causes light rays to focus in front of the retina, instead of directly on it. The retina is the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into electrical impulses and sends them to the brain where they are interpreted as images.
Near-sightedness is usually corrected with glasses, contact lenses or refractive surgery. It is important to have regular comprehensive eye exams so that Nearsightedness can be diagnosed and treated early. Left untreated Near Sightedness can lead to an increase in risk for more serious conditions such as retinal detachment or glaucoma.
What is Far Sightedness?
Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is a vision condition in which people can see distant objects clearly, but close ones are blurry. If you’re far-sighted, light rays entering your eye focus at a point behind your retina — the sensitive tissue at the back of your eye that translates what you see into neural signals for your brain. This causes distant objects to appear blurry.
- Farsightedness occurs if your eyeball is too short or the cornea — the clear front surface of your eye — has too little curvature. Far-sightedness is usually present at birth and frequently runs in families. People with a mild form of far-sightedness have no difficulty seeing distant objects but may have trouble seeing close objects, such as words in a book or magazines.
- A more severe form can cause significant difficulties with both near and distant vision. Far-sightedness can also be caused by certain medical conditions that cause changes in your eye, such as a buildup of fluid in the back of the eye (retina) or myopia. Far-sightedness can be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery. In some cases, progressive eyeglasses can help prevent the need for surgery later on.
- Far-sightedness corrects when you position objects further away from you until they come into focus. You may need to hold books and other reading materials at arm’s length to be able to read them clearly. Public places such as movie theatres may provide assistive listening devices so you can hear better.
Many people with this condition have20/20 vision but still experience difficulties seeing up close because their eyes don’t focus light properly on their retinas. Far-sighted people often experience headaches and eyestrain from squinting and straining to see up close. In children, far-sightedness often corrects itself as the eyeball grows during childhood.
Difference between Near Sightedness and Far Sightedness
Nearsightedness and farsightedness are two of the most common vision problems.
- They are usually caused by a distorted shape of the eyeball, which results in light being focused in the wrong place on the retina.
- Nearsightedness, or myopia, is when distant objects appear blurry.
- This is because the eyeball is too long, or the cornea (the clear outer layer of the eye) is too curved.
- Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is just the opposite- close objects appear blurry.
- This is because the eyeball is too short, or the cornea is not curved enough.
- Most vision problems can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or surgery.
However, nearsightedness and farsightedness can also be controlled through vision therapy exercises. These exercises help to train the eyes to focus correctly and can be used alone or in combination with other forms of treatment.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, there is a big difference between nearsightedness and farsightedness. Nearsighted individuals can see clearly close-up but have difficulty seeing in the distance, while farsighted people can see objects far away better than nearby ones. In some cases, glasses or contact lenses can help correct vision problems, but surgery may also be necessary. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms associated with these conditions, it’s important to visit an eye doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
