Farsightedness (Hyperopia)

Farsighted patients can only recognize far away objects clearly, but have difficulty seeing objects that are up close. The eye of farsighted people is mostly shorter. Therefore, the light rays are focused behind the retina rather than directly on it.

The optical correction is performed by increasing the refractive power of the eye. Because of this, the focal point is then shifted forward onto the retina.

Eyeglasses and contact lenses make this possible through a convex lens with a corrective value given in positive dioptre. Your prescription will then for example read +4.5 dpt. If surgery is performed, the total refractive power of the eye is altered to obtain the optimal condition.

In contrast to shortsightedness, hyperopia can be compensated by the natural eye lens up to a certain age. The eye lens can deform and adjust itself, the so-called natural accommodation. Due to this, the natural refractive power of the lens is increased. Therefore, farsighted people can mostly see faraway objects well up to the age of 40. Merely people suffering from a strong hyperopia need to wear eyeglasses already during youth. On the other side, difficulties in the reading ability can be detected at an earlier age for farsighted people, i.e. presbyopia takes place sooner.