La myopia and farsightedness They are two very common refractive defects that affect vision and both derive from an error in the focus of light that reaches the eyes. However, they are very different and manifest differently.
La myopia e farsightedness They can be corrected through glasses, contact lenses and, thanks to technological advances, it is now also possible with laser eye surgery.
En Área Oftalmológica Avanzada We explain the differences between farsightedness and myopia, and how you should treat these refractive errors.
What is farsightedness and myopia?
First, the myopia It is the refractive error that causes blurred vision of the objects found far.
It occurs because the images are formed in front of the retina and not on it, either because cornea or crystalline they are very powerful or because the eye is longer than normal.
On the other hand, la farsightedness it is just the opposite of myopiathat is, it is the difficulty seeing nearby objects.
This visual disturbance occurs when images are formed behind the retina because the cornea or lens are weak or because the eye is shorter than normal.
What if you have farsightedness and myopia at the same time?
Having hyperopia and myopia in the same eye not possible, but it is possible to have a myopic and a hyperopic eye.
It is also possible to have mixed astigmatism, a disorder that occurs when one meridian of one eye focuses as hyperopic and the other meridian as myopic.
Also, from a certain age, people with hyperopia can also experience blurred vision in the middle distance. When this occurs, the problem is not associated with a refractive error, but with the loss of lens elasticity.
This phenomenon is known as Presbyopia or eyestrain and progress progressively. The presbyopia It affects all human beings from Age 40.
Differences between hyperopia and myopia
The main The difference between hyperopia and myopia is that the former affects near vision and the latter affects distance vision..
Both visual disturbances have as origin that the distance of the focus of light that enters the eye is not located on the retina, although, in myopia, images are formed in front of it and in hyperopia, images are formed behind it., provoking blurred vision near in hyperopia and far in myopia.
Another difference is that myopia usually develops in the childhoodWhile farsightedness is usually a birth defect that may heal on its own as the eyeball grows and develops.
Symptoms of myopia and hyperopia
Not counting the distance over which the blurred vision, we can say that the myopia symptoms and hyperopia are very similar. Let's see them:
Myopia symptoms
- Blurred vision of long-distance images.
- Squinting to better see distant objects.
- Bring objects close to your eyes to see them better.
- Headache.
- Visual fatigue.
Symptoms of farsightedness
- Blurred vision of images at close range.
- Zoom out objects to see them correctly.
- Headache.
- Visual fatigue.
- Eye redness.
Hyperopia and myopia operation
All refractive errors can be corrected through the use of glasses or contact lenses. However, at present, the best alternative to treat myopia and hyperopia permanently is refractive surgery.
There are different surgical options to operate myopia and hyperopia. The most used are:
- Femtolasik Surgery: This technique is the most innovative and revolutionary at present, since is performed exclusively with laser technology. First apply femtosecond laser to separate the corneal layers and then molds the imperfections of the cornea with excimer laser. This technique is more precise, offers less risk and postoperative recovery is faster.
- Lasik surgery: Consists of making a corneal flap using a blade (microkeratome) to subsequently shape the cornea with the excimer laser. Once the surgery is finished, the flap is put back in place without the need for any type of suture.
- PRK surgery: It is the first laser method that was used to correct refractive errors. The operation consists of remove the corneal epithelium using an alcoholic solution to reshape the cornea using excimer laser. After surgery, the epithelium will regenerate on its own without the need for sutures. Under this surgical option, the patient must wear therapeutic lenses during the postoperative period until the specialist indicates otherwise.
- Intraocular lens: This surgical option is especially indicated in patients with high graduation. It consists of implanting an intraocular lens specially designed according to the needs of each patient. We recommend this technique to patients with high prescription and thin corneas and to athletes or professionals who are at risk of suffering impacts to the eyes, such as boxers or police officers.
Myopia and hyperopia in children should be treated with glasses or contact lenses, depending on the age of the patient.
The eyeball develops progressively over the years and reaches its final size between the 18 and the 21 years of age. Only then can you opt for refractive surgery to correct vision defects.
If you have symptoms of hyperopia or myopia, do not hesitate to contact our experts at Área Oftalmológica Avanzada. We are happy to help you!
