Hyperopia

While you might think farsightedness is the opposite of nearsightedness, that is not always the case.

Farsightedness, or known as hyperopia medically, is a refractive condition where distance objects are seen clearly but near objects can be seen as blurry. This is because the eyeball is too short and does not have enough focusing power, which forms the image behind the retina instead. This is why a person with hyperopia will receive a plus prescription, such as +2.00 diopters. It is possible for a young person to “mask” or overcome their hyperopia by increasing the focusing system of the eye, called accommodation. But this can lead to headaches and eyestrain if the effort is extensive to compensate for the farsightedness.