Overview
A hyperopic eye is slightly too short, so light would come to a focus behind the retina. Young eyes can compensate by focusing harder, which is why mild hyperopia often goes unnoticed for years — at the cost of eye strain and headaches.
As the focusing muscle stiffens with age, that compensation stops working, and hyperopia that was invisible at twenty becomes obvious at forty. In children, significant uncorrected hyperopia is a common cause of an eye turning inward.
What are the common symptoms?
- Blurred or effortful near vision, worse when tired
- Aching eyes, brow-ache or headaches after reading
- Difficulty concentrating on close work
- In children: an inward-turning eye, or avoidance of reading
- In stronger cases, blurred distance vision too
What causes it, and who is at risk?
- An eyeball shorter than average, or a cornea that is too flat
- Strongly hereditary
- Present from birth in most cases; many children outgrow mild degrees
How is it treated?
Correction is straightforward; the judgement call is how much to prescribe, particularly in children who can still compensate.
- Glasses, often prescribed for reading first and full-time later
- Contact lenses
- Full correction in children when there is an inward eye turn or a lazy eye
- Laser correction or lens-based surgery for suitable adults
This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Only an eye care professional who has examined you can tell you what is actually going on.