Common Visual Conditions: Farsightedness
Farsightedness (hyperopia)occurs when your eyeball is too short or your cornea curves too little. For farsighted people, images enter the front of the eye and focus in back of the retina. This results in close objects being blurry, while distant objects appear clearly. This can cause eyestrain, fatigue, and headaches when doing close work. Severe farsightedness can result in blurred distance vision, too.
In mild cases, eyes may focus without corrective lenses. Other people may need corrective lenses. Age lessens the eyes' ability to focus and adapt. Corrective lenses clear vision and make reading more comfortable.
Vision screenings done in school may not detect farsightedness. Students typically identify letters on an eye chart 20 feet away, which only tests distance vision. If a child complains of eye strain or headaches when doing school work, s/he may be farsighted.