Farsightedness (Hyperopia): What Happens

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What Happens

Farsightedness (hyperopia) most commonly starts in early childhood, but normal development and lengthening of the eyeball during early childhood corrects the condition. If the child is still slightly farsighted when the eye has finished growing, around 9 years of age, the eye can usually make up (accommodate) for the remaining refractive error, allowing the child to see clearly.

If a child who is farsighted is not able to accommodate for the refractive error and has problems with vision, eyeglasses or contact lenses may be necessary. In adults, surgery that either changes the shape of the cornea or replaces the lens in the eye may be used to restore normal vision.

Farsightedness can often go unnoticed until middle age. Around age 40, the muscles controlling the lens become too weak to compensate for farsightedness. At the same time, the loss of flexibility in the lens limits your ability to focus. This stiffening of the lens and change in how well the muscles work is called presbyopia. As presbyopia occurs, decreasing the eyes' ability to compensate for a refractive error, farsightedness becomes apparent. A farsighted person will begin to have trouble with close work. As presbyopia increases, near and distance vision will become blurred, until glasses or contacts are required for both.

Eyeglasses or contact lenses will improve farsightedness but will not halt the progression of the condition. Symptoms of farsightedness will still likely get worse as you grow older.

Farsightedness increases the risk for strabismus, or crossing of the eyes, and amblyopia, which occurs when one eye is not used enough and the visual system does not develop properly.

Last updated:	November 23, 2007
Author:	Jeannette Curtis
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Christopher J. Rudnisky, MD, FRCSC - Ophthalmology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC