Common vision condition
Hyperopia - Farsightedness
Hyperopia can make close work harder, and in some cases distance vision may also be affected.
Hyperopia, often called farsightedness or long-sightedness, happens when the eye does not focus light strongly enough for the length of the eye.
This means light would focus behind the retina instead of directly on it. The eyes may then have to work harder, especially for reading, screens, schoolwork, or other close tasks.
Hyperopia - light would focus behind the retinaClick image to view larger
What causes hyperopia?
Hyperopia is usually related to the shape and focusing power of the eye.
Eye length
The eye may be slightly shorter than ideal, meaning light would focus behind the retina rather than directly on it.
Cornea or lens power
The cornea or lens may not focus light strongly enough for the length of the eye.
Near vision effort
The eyes may need to work harder to focus, especially for close tasks such as reading, computer work, phones, or schoolwork.
Hyperopia can vary from person to person
Some people with mild hyperopia may not notice symptoms, while others may experience blur, eyestrain, headaches, or difficulty keeping close vision comfortable. Regular eye exams help check whether correction is needed.
Possible signs of hyperopia
Symptoms can vary depending on age, prescription strength, focusing ability, and how much close work you do.
Blurred near vision
Reading, screens, phone use, craft work, or other close tasks may look blurry or become uncomfortable.
Eyestrain or headaches
Some people notice tired eyes, headaches, aching, or burning eyes after close work.
Trouble concentrating
Children and adults may avoid close tasks or find reading harder to maintain because their eyes are working harder to focus.
Click image to view larger
How the eye focuses light
For clear vision, light needs to focus accurately on the retina at the back of the eye.
In hyperopia, light would focus behind the retina. This can make near vision more difficult and may sometimes affect distance vision too.
Glasses or contact lenses can help by adjusting the focus so images fall more accurately on the retina while they are being worn.
Hyperopia in children
Children may not realise their vision is working harder than it should. They may avoid reading, lose concentration, complain of headaches, or have difficulty with close schoolwork.
Some children are naturally a little farsighted when young, but higher or symptomatic hyperopia may need careful assessment and correction.
Hyperopia and eye comfort
Hyperopia can affect more than just clarity. It can also affect how hard the eyes need to work throughout the day.
Close work comfort
Reading, computer work, study, and phone use can become tiring if the eyes are constantly working to focus.
Eye coordination
In some children, uncorrected hyperopia can place extra demand on eye focusing and eye teaming.
Ongoing monitoring
Regular eye exams help monitor your prescription, focusing ability, and eye health over time.
Seek urgent advice for sudden symptoms
Please phone us promptly if you notice sudden vision changes, flashes, floaters, eye pain, new distortion, sudden vision loss, or a shadow or curtain in your vision.
These symptoms can have several causes, but they should not be ignored.
How hyperopia may be corrected
The best option depends on your prescription, age, eye health, lifestyle, and how you use your vision day to day.
Glasses
Glasses are a common way to correct hyperopia. They can reduce blur and help make close work more comfortable.
Contact lenses
Contact lenses may be suitable for some people with hyperopia, depending on prescription, eye health, comfort, and lifestyle.
Other options
Some adults ask about refractive surgery. Suitability depends on prescription, corneal health, age, and specialist assessment.
Related vision conditions
Hyperopia can occur on its own or alongside other focusing conditions.
Myopia
Myopia, or nearsightedness, usually makes distant objects look blurry while close objects are clearer.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is caused by uneven focusing power and can cause blur or distortion at different distances.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the normal age-related change that makes near focusing harder, usually becoming noticeable from around the 40s.
Do all farsighted people need glasses?
Not always. Some people with mild hyperopia may see comfortably without correction, while others benefit from glasses or contact lenses, especially for close work.
Can hyperopia affect distance vision?
Yes. Although hyperopia often affects near vision first, higher amounts can also make distance vision blurry or uncomfortable.
Why do my eyes get tired when reading?
With hyperopia, the eyes may need to use extra focusing effort for near tasks. This can lead to tired eyes, headaches, blur, or reduced concentration.
Can children have hyperopia?
Yes. Some children have mild hyperopia as part of normal development, but higher or symptomatic hyperopia should be assessed with a proper eye exam.
Concerned about farsightedness?
You can book online, phone us, or call in and see us at Waipapa Eyecare.
For urgent eye problems, sudden vision changes, flashes, floaters, eye pain, or injury, please phone us rather than using online booking.
Common vision condition
Hyperopia - Farsightedness
Hyperopia can make close work harder, and in some cases can affect distance vision too.
Hyperopia, often called farsightedness or long-sightedness, is when the eye’s focusing system does not bring light to focus clearly on the retina without extra effort.
Some people with hyperopia can see clearly for a while by using extra focusing effort. Others notice blur, eyestrain, tired eyes, headaches, or difficulty with reading and close work.
Hyperopia - light focuses behind the retina
What causes hyperopia?
Hyperopia is usually related to the shape and focusing power of the eye.
Eye length
The eye may be slightly shorter than ideal, meaning light would tend to focus behind the retina rather than directly on it.
Cornea or lens power
The cornea or lens may not have enough focusing power for the length of the eye.
Extra focusing effort
Some people can compensate by focusing harder, but this can lead to tired eyes, headaches, or discomfort with close work.
Hyperopia is not always obvious
Some people with hyperopia can pass a basic distance vision check, especially when they are young, because they can use extra focusing effort. A full eye exam gives a better understanding of how the eyes are working.
Possible signs of hyperopia
Symptoms vary depending on age, prescription strength, and how much focusing effort your eyes can comfortably manage.
Close work symptoms
Reading, phone use, computer work, or detailed near tasks may feel tiring, uncomfortable, or blurry.
Eye strain and headaches
Aching eyes, burning eyes, tired eyes, or headaches after close work can be associated with uncorrected hyperopia.
Blurred vision
Close vision may be blurry, and with higher levels of hyperopia, distance vision may also be affected.
How the eye focuses light
For clear vision, light needs to focus accurately on the retina at the back of the eye.
In hyperopia, the eye’s shape or focusing power means the focus would fall behind the retina unless the eye compensates. This extra effort can be comfortable for some people, but tiring for others.
Glasses or contact lenses can help by adjusting the focus so the eyes do not need to work as hard.
Hyperopia in children
Many young children have a small amount of hyperopia, and not all of it needs treatment. However, higher amounts of hyperopia can sometimes affect reading comfort, concentration, eye coordination, or vision development.
Children may not know their vision is blurry. They may avoid reading, lose concentration with close work, complain of headaches, sit very close, or appear tired after school.
How hyperopia may be corrected
The best option depends on your prescription, age, symptoms, eye health, and how you use your vision day to day.
Glasses
Glasses are a common way to correct hyperopia. They may be worn full time or for specific tasks, depending on the prescription and symptoms.
Contact lenses
Contact lenses may be suitable for some people with hyperopia, depending on prescription, eye health, comfort, and lifestyle.
Other options
Some adults may ask about refractive surgery. Suitability depends on prescription, corneal health, age, and specialist assessment.
Related vision conditions
Hyperopia can occur on its own or alongside other focusing conditions.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism is caused by uneven focusing power and can cause blur or distortion at different distances.
Presbyopia
Presbyopia is the normal age-related change that makes near focusing harder, usually becoming noticeable from around the 40s.
Myopia
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is different from hyperopia. It usually makes distance vision blurry while near vision is clearer.
Do all farsighted people need glasses?
Not always. It depends on the amount of hyperopia, symptoms, age, eye coordination, and whether the eyes are working comfortably.
Can children grow out of hyperopia?
Some children’s eyes change as they grow, and a small amount of hyperopia may reduce over time. Higher amounts or symptomatic hyperopia may need monitoring or correction.
Why do my eyes feel tired when I can still see?
You may be using extra focusing effort to keep things clear. That effort can cause tiredness, headaches, or difficulty sustaining close work.
Do lenses for hyperopia get thick?
Higher hyperopia prescriptions can create lenses that are thicker in the centre. Lens design, frame choice, and lens material can help manage thickness and appearance.
Concerned about farsightedness?
You can book online, phone us, or call in and see us at Waipapa Eyecare.
For urgent eye problems, sudden vision changes, flashes, floaters, eye pain, or injury, please phone us rather than using online booking.