Farsightedness

Farsightedness (Hyperopia) is a condition of abnormal refractive power of the eye. People with farsightedness have small eyes or a cornea that is too flat. Makes it impossible to see objects in the close-up clearly But objects in the distance can be clearly seen. Or you may not be able to see clearly both near and far. Which farsightedness in medicine means Symptoms of farsightedness occurring at a young age and not yet reaching old age. And farsightedness that occurs when reaching old age (age 40 and over) is called presbyopia.

Most of the time, farsightedness is present from birth and is often found to be caused by Genetics  However, farsightedness is not a dangerous or serious condition . And it can be easily corrected by wearing glasses, wearing contact lenses , or treating it with surgery, etc.

Symptoms of farsightedness

Common symptoms of people who are farsighted include:

• Can’t see close objects clearly, such as reading a book or threading a needle.
• Eye discomfort or headache from having to use your eyes for a long time, such as reading, writing, working on a computer, or drawing.
• Can’t see clearly, especially at night.
• Headaches due to eye muscles working too hard from focusing Often there is pain in the forehead area. And the symptoms will increase as you use your eyes more. There are usually no symptoms in the morning. But I get a headache in the evening. And if you refrain from using your eyesight to look at close distances The pain will go away.
• Pain in the eyes or around the eyes
• Eyes hurt or eyes can’t tolerate light.
• You have to squint your eyes to see clearly.
• Can’t see clearly sooner than expected or have symptoms of eye problems in the elderly faster than the general population The average person will develop aging vision when they are 40 years old or older, but those who already have farsightedness may develop aging vision faster. In the early stages, close vision is unclear, often occurring when the body is tired or when there is not enough light.

Presbyopia in children often has no symptoms. But in cases of severe farsightedness, the following symptoms may occur.

• headache
• Rubbing or rubbing your eyes often
• Having trouble reading or makes you dislike reading books
• Strabismus. Children with moderate hyperopia. Makes you have to focus a lot all the time This may cause the eyes to squint inwards.

When does farsightedness begin to occur?

Most of the time, farsightedness starts in childhood. And as the body grows, the symptoms will disappear on their own. But in cases where eye development has stopped (Child around 9 years old) and still has farsightedness problems. The eye adjusts by adjusting its focus. (Accommodation) to solve problems But as we age, eye focus adjustment becomes less possible.

In addition, at around the age of 40, people’s eyes will have less ability to focus on close objects, known as presbyopia. You may notice that close vision begins to be unclear as before. and may not be able to see clearly both near and far as the disease increases Causes of farsightedness

Farsightedness is a condition in which the eye’s ability to refractive light is abnormal. It is caused by the eyeball being too small or the cornea not being rounded enough. Shortens the distance between the cornea and retina. It causes light from objects to be unfocused on the retina. Instead, it focuses behind the retina. This results in the image being unclear.

In most cases, farsightedness is genetically inherited. Or it can be caused by certain cases, such as retinopathy or eye tumors. But it is found very rarely.

Diagnosing farsightedness

Diagnosis of farsightedness begins with a question about symptoms and an eye exam by an ophthalmologist. Including eye examination, ophthalmoscopy, intraocular pressure measurement (Tonometry), examination with an eye examination machine (Slit lamp) and may include other visual acuity tests at the discretion of the eye specialist. physician

When the eye was tested, it was found that farsightedness was farsighted. The doctor will use a device called a retinoscope. (Retinoscope) is a machine used to measure the refraction of light in the eye. To help find the cause of farsightedness, the doctor may also use a Phoropter to measure refractive abnormalities.

Presbyopia treatment

For those who are still young There may not be a need for treatment. Because the eye lens is flexible enough to adapt and correct hyperopia on its own. But as we age, flexibility decreases and it may eventually be necessary to correct this by wearing glasses or contact lenses.

In addition, people who are farsighted if they are found to have squinting inward. This may be caused by farsightedness. Makes children have to focus their eyes all the time In this case, it must be corrected by wearing glasses to help the child not have to focus again. In the case of farsightedness without squint. The decision to use corrective glasses or not depends on the patient’s vision. If you use your eyes a lot, it may cause headaches and eye strain. This should be corrected.

Wearing glasses or contact lenses It will help adjust focus and correct abnormal eye shape problems. It also helps protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays (UV) with lenses that filter UV rays.

Additionally, some patients may choose to correct their hyperopia with LASIK or similar surgery to correct their refractive error. This procedure will correct the shape of the cornea. surface of the eye and adjust the focus of the eyes effectively

Methods of vision correction surgery used to treat farsightedness include:

• Laser -Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a method of corneal surgery that uses laser light to reshape the curvature of the cornea. so that light is refracted and hits the retina Makes the picture more clear.
• Laser-Assisted Subepithelial Keratectomy (LASEK) is the use of a laser. Adjust the frontal tissue of Outer cornea for proper curvature Similar to the PRK method, but the outermost layer of the cornea (Epithelium) that was peeled off before the laser treatment is removed. Come back and close it as before. To reduce irritation and helps wounds heal faster. The patient may need to wear special contact lenses for several days to recover.
• PRK (Photorefractive Keratectomy: PRK) is a method that has a procedure similar to laser surgery, using the peeling of the outermost layer of the corneal surface (Epithelium) before using a laser to adjust the outer corneal tissue. desired curvature, and after surgery the patient may need to wear special contact lenses for rehabilitation.
• Radiofrequency eye treatment for the elderly (Conductive keratoplasty: CK) is a procedure that uses radio waves instead of a laser to heat a small area of ​​the corneal tissue and make the cornea curve more convex. However, the results of this treatment are not permanent.

However, it is not possible to determine which treatment is best. Because it depends on the condition of the eyes and the daily life of each person, which is different. Therefore, people with farsightedness problems should consult with an ophthalmologist to determine what type of treatment will be most effective. self

Complications of hyperopia

Farsightedness can cause the following problems.

• People who have farsightedness and are not corrected. It may cause a worse quality of life. Unable to work as expected or makes everyday life less enjoyable and may affect the learning process in children
• People who have farsightedness and are not corrected. This may cause you to have to squint to see clearly. This can cause eye pain, fatigue or headaches .
• People who have farsightedness problems and are not corrected. May cause danger or accidents to yourself and others, such as driving or working with machinery.
• Children with farsightedness may develop strabismus (Crossed Eyes). This can be corrected by wearing specially made glasses to correct the farsightedness problem. This may help treat strabismus.

Preventing farsightedness

This is because farsightedness cannot be prevented. But there are ways to help protect your eyes and your vision. In the following way

• Eye health should be checked regularly. To check your ability to see or check if there are any abnormalities with the eyes.
• Choose the glasses that suit you. This will help result in proper vision. By testing your eyes regularly to see if the glasses you are using are appropriate or not.
• If you are a person with chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. May affect vision. It can happen if it is not properly taken care of. Therefore, the disease should be controlled and maintained in an appropriate condition.
• Observe yourself if there is something wrong with your eyes, such as not being able to see or see clearly in one eye, blurred vision, seeing black spots, seeing rays or rainbows around lights. These symptoms may be signs of It can be a serious condition, so if you experience any of the above symptoms, you should immediately see a doctor.
• Protect your eyes from sunlight or ultraviolet rays. (Ultraviolet: UV) by wearing sunglasses. Especially if you must be outdoors and exposed to sunlight for a long time. or who must take medications that may make them more sensitive to UV rays
• Eat healthy food Especially eat green leafy vegetables and light colored fruits such as spinach, kale, carrots, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe. Because it helps maintain the condition of the retina well. And may help slow down the deterioration of the inner membrane cells of the eyeball as well.
• avoid smoking Because it can have a harmful effect on the health of the eyes. Especially the deterioration of the inner membrane cells of the eye.
• If you must use your eyesight to do various activities such as reading or writing. You should turn on the lights and use appropriate electricity. Because it will help you see better and help your eyes not have to focus too much, which may result in long-term eye damage.