We are happy to provide you with some basic information on several common vision conditions. Select from the following list or scroll to learn more about the symptoms and treatments for:

Emmetropia

When rays are focused correctly on the retina of a relaxed eye, the eye is said to be emmetropic. Emmetropia is the medical term for 20/20 vision, vision that needs no corrective lenses, contact lenses, or reading glasses. It occurs because the optical power of the eye can perfectly focus an image to the retina, giving it “perfect” vision.

The opposite of emmetropia is ametropia. With ametropia, the focal point of the eye is some distance in front of or behind the retina. The following vision conditions are types of ametropia.

Hyperopia

Hyperopia is more commonly known as farsightedness. As the name suggests, people with farsightedness are able to focus on objects that are further away, but have difficulty focusing on objects which are very close. This is because the eyeball is shorter than normal, which prevents the crystalline lens in the eye from focusing light correctly on the retina without effort. About a fourth of the population is farsighted. Hyperopia can lead to eyestrain and headaches.

A family history of hyperopia is a risk factor for developing hyperopia. Babies are often born with hyperopia but they can usually outgrow the condition as their eyes develop into the correct shape.

Hyperopia can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. There are also new surgical procedures that can correct hyperopia.

Recommended Link
American Optometric Association – Hyperopia

Myopia

Myopia is the medical term for what most people call nearsightedness. It is a condition in which a person can see objects clearly only when they are close; when objects are farther away it is difficult to focus on them. Myopia usually develops in early childhood, although it sometimes develops in early adulthood. In rare cases, myopia can lead to more serious conditions such as retinal detachment.

Myopia is considered a genetic disorder. If your parents are nearsighted, you are at greater risk of also being nearsighted. Another risk factor is “near work” – work involving fine detail or focusing on close objects.

Myopia can be accommodated and sometimes corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses. Sometimes myopia continues to gradually worsen throughout life, a condition known as myopic creep. Myopia can also be corrected by LASIK surgery.

Recommended Link
American Optometric Association – Myopia

Amblyopia

Amblyopia, commonly called lazy eye, occurs when one eye develops differently than the other eye does, causing one eye to be weaker than the other. Sometimes a difference in focusing ability causes one eye to be used more often. Other times, the eyes are misaligned, causing brain to suppress or “shut off” the image from the weaker eye to avoid double vision. Regardless of the cause, the result is a weakened, or amblyopic, eye.

Symptoms
It’s hard to detect amblyopia without an eye doctor’s exam. Sometimes a child will noticeably favor one eye over the other. Another possible symptom is the child frequently bumping into things on one side. The best way to tell if your child has lazy eye is through a complete exam at about six months and three years. Early diagnosis can prevent amblyopia from leading to more serious problems, such as loss of the ability to see three dimensions or functional blindness in the amblyopic eye.

Treatment
Most of the time amblyopia cannot be entirely corrected. The amblyopic eye will always be a bit weaker than the other. However, with treatment, vision in the amblyopic eye can be improved. Treatment involves encouraging the weak eye to develop. This is done using eye patches, vision therapy, glasses, or a combination of the three. The strong eye may be patched to encourage the weak eye to develop. Vision therapy can help to correct improper use of the eyes. If a focusing error is at the root of the problem, then glasses may reduce the error. Most of the time the amblyopic eye will always require glasses.

Recommended Link
National Eye Institute Amblyopia Resource Guide

Presbyopia

As a people get older, usually when they hit their mid to late 40s, a condition called presbyopia can set in. Presbyopia is the inability to focus on objects near the eye. One usually notices that it is harder to read or use the computer. Bifocals or reading glasses are a way to remedy this condition.

Presbyopia is a natural consequence of the aging process. There is no cure, though researchers are constantly looking for one. Even if someone has never had vision problems before, he can still develop presbyopia. It may seem to occur suddenly, but the change actually occurs over a long period of time. Symptoms include having to hold things at arm’s length to see them clearly, eye strain, fatigue, and headaches from near work.

Recommended Link
American Optometric Association – Presbyopia

Astigmatism

Sometimes the cornea is irregularly shaped, causing a split our doubled focus. This is known as astigmatism. For the cornea to bend light correctly, it should have a spherical shape, like a basketball. Astigmatic corneas are shaped more like a football. This causes a distorted or doubled view when looking at objects which are close-up and far away.

The cause of astigmatism is unknown. Astigmatism is often associated with myopia or hyperopia, and it usually is present from birth. It may be hereditary, or it may be caused by factors such as pressure on the cornea, incorrect posture, or increased use of the eyes for “near work.”

Mild astigmatism usually does not always need to be corrected. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery can correct moderate to high degrees of astigmatism.

Recommended Links
American Optometric Association: Astigmatism

Computer Vision Syndrome

Computer vision syndrome (CVS) affects three out of four computer users. It is a series of symptoms related to extended periods of computer usage. Though it is no cause for panic, measures can be taken to relieve symptoms of CVS.

Symptoms
CVS can appear as a variety of symptoms. Headaches, eye strain, neck and back aches, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, double vision, and dry or irritated eyes are all possible problems related to CVS.

Risk Factors
Any computer user can develop CVS. Your vision, your computer, and the environment where you use your computer are all factors which can lead to CVS.

Recommended Link
Healthy Computing Articles: Computer Vision Syndrome