What Is Hyperopia (Far-sightedness)? Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Operation

What is long-sightedness?

Long-sightedness is an eye-ageing condition everyone experiences around the age of 40 to 50 years old. It is the natural deterioration of the the eye lens’ capacity to accommodate reading. This accommodation, which allows the eye to concentrate on letters, deteriorates with age as the lens gets older and loses its elasticity. Long-sightedness is characterised by the loss of this ability. The person can no longer focus properly and vision may be hazy.

Long-sightedness usually develops for 55 to 60 years and then stabilises after this age. In France, approximately 20 million people suffer from long-sightedness. 700,000 new cases are recorded every year.

Long-sightedness: what are the symptoms?

Long-sightedness begins to become apparent through reading difficulties, usually around the age of 40 to 50 years old. The person has difficulty seeing small letters (a sign, article, menu) when there is very little light. On the other hand, when there is plenty of light, reading is much easier. People can realise that they suffer from long-sightedness when they have to stretch their arms out to read a book or article because their vision is too fuzzy. Headaches and eye tiredness can also protrude as symptoms.

Long-sightedness: what are the causes?

Age is the main contributing factor to long-sightedness. It is in the vast majority of cases caused by an ageing eye lens, which becomes less flexible with age. Long-sightedness can also, in rarer instances, occur much sooner. Premature long-sightedness is often caused from taking certain medications or from certain illnesses, such as diabetes or heart disease.

Long-sightedness: how can it be corrected?

Long-sightedness can easily be corrected by wearing glasses or contact lenses designed for reading. When somebody suffers from long-sightedness and myopia, they can opt to have bifocal glasses to allow them to view things from afar and also see objects close to them (the top part of the lens allows for long distance whilst the lower part of the lens allows them to see things nearer to them).

Long-sightedness can also be corrected through laser surgery or by an implant.