The Differences between Near and Farsightedness

Your eyes are amazingly complex organs. The eye has two million parts that work and is the 2nd most complex body organ after the brain. At Arena Eye Care Optometry in Sacramento, our optometrists can provide all the eye care you need, including an eye exam.

When you have normal vision, the images focus directly on your retina and can be seen clearly. When you are nearsighted, the image focuses in front of the retina. With farsightedness, the image is focused behind the retina. The axial length of the eye and the optics at the front will determine what type of prescription you have. These are the mechanics of both of these eye conditions. But, of course, when you are suffering from one of these, your experience will be about more than just why it happens. Your eye doctor can give you a correct diagnosis.

Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness, which is officially called Myopia, affects about 40% of Americans. Almost 25% of children also have this disorder, too, and that number is getting worse. The biggest contributor to that is all the time spent staring at close-up activities, such as screens. Since children’s bodies adapt more easily than adults, they in turn are more affected by looking up close. It used to be the kids reading books were more likely to be nearsighted. Now it’s the kids who have excessive screen time, which unfortunately is the majority of kids. That’s why the number of kids with nearsightedness is growing rapidly.

Farsightedness

When it is hard to see things that are close up, you may have farsightedness. Farsightedness is not an eye disease; it is a focusing disorder.  People who are farsighted tend to see things better far away, and have more difficulty up close. Interestingly, some people with farsightedness can see clearly everywhere, but feel strain with extended near viewing, while others (typically those that are older or have higher prescriptions) have blurry vision everywhere, it just happens to be worse up close.

Treatment

Both of these refractive issues can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. You can get a permanent solution to either with surgery.

Contact Our Optometrists in Sacramento, CA

When you need an eye doctor, contact Arena Eye Care Optometry to schedule an appointment with Dr. Krister L. Holmberg or Dr. Shephali Patel. They will provide the eye exam and services that you need. Give our office a call at (916) 419-8167 or use the online scheduler on our website to make an appointment.