Hyperopia

Yes. Uncorrected hyperopia can make your eyes work harder to maintain focus, particularly during reading, computer use and other close-up tasks. For some people this focusing effort can contribute to tired eyes or headaches.

Headaches can have many causes, so persistent or unexplained symptoms should not automatically be assumed to come from your eyesight.

Glasses and contact lenses correct hyperopia while you are wearing them. Laser eye surgery permanently changes the shape of the cornea, but it cannot stop your eyes from changing naturally with age.

This is particularly relevant for hyperopia, where the prescription is more likely to regress over time than in short-sightedness, and age-related changes such as presbyopia can still affect your near vision. Suitability for laser is therefore assessed carefully, and for some farsighted patients another form of vision correction may be more appropriate.

Farsightedness can usually be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Suitable adults may also have surgical options including laser vision correction or lens-based procedures.

The best option depends on your prescription, age, eye health and personal preferences.

Both LASIK and PRK can correct suitable hyperopic prescriptions. The better procedure depends on your individual eyes rather than hyperopia alone.

Factors such as corneal thickness, eye-surface health, prescription, occupation and lifestyle will influence which treatment is recommended.

Yes, hyperopia can be corrected with laser eye surgery in suitable adults. LASIK and PRK reshape the cornea to adjust its focusing power so light focuses on the retina.

Not every hyperopic prescription is suitable for laser correction, so your prescription, corneal measurements and eye health need to be assessed first.

Laser eye surgery may be suitable if you are over 18, have a stable prescription and healthy eyes, and meet the corneal measurement and treatment criteria.

Being over 18 does not guarantee it is the best option, particularly for hyperopia, because age-related changes such as presbyopia and cataracts also matter. A consultation will evaluate your prescription, cornea, eye health and natural lens before recommending LASIK, PRK or another treatment.

The underlying hyperopia does not necessarily develop because of age, but it can become more noticeable. Younger eyes can often compensate for some hyperopia by changing the shape of the natural lens to increase focusing power.

As this ability reduces with age, previously unnoticed hyperopia may begin causing blurred vision or greater dependence on glasses.

No. Hyperopia is a refractive error that can be present from childhood, while presbyopia is an age-related change in the natural lens that makes it progressively harder to focus on nearby objects, usually becoming noticeable from the 40s onwards.

Someone can have both hyperopia and presbyopia at the same time.

Common symptoms include blurred near vision, tired eyes and headaches after tasks such as reading or using a computer. You may also find yourself holding text further away to see it more clearly.

Symptoms alone cannot confirm hyperopia. An eye examination can measure your prescription and establish what is causing your vision difficulties.

Hyperopia is usually related to the natural shape and focusing power of the eye. It often occurs when the eyeball is relatively short, or when the eye does not have enough optical power to bring incoming light into focus on the retina.

Genetics can also play a role, so farsightedness may run in families.