Vision Health Articles: The many varieties of Eye Disorders

When you go in for your regular vision appointment, you may hear your doctor talk about many different problems related to the eye. According to the Mayo Clinic, some of the most common are farsightedness, nearsightedness, presbyopia, and astigmatism. But what exactly are these disorders, and how do they differ?

Farsightedness – Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is a common condition in which people can see distant objects clearly, but have trouble focusing on objects up close. For instance, you may be able to read a sign posted across the room just fine, but the book in front of you is blurry. The Mayo Clinic suggests farsightedness is typically present at birth and tends to run in families. This condition is easily diagnosed and treated. An eye doctor will be able to help you find the correct prescription to improve your vision.

Nearsightedness – As the name suggests, nearsightedness, or myopia, is the opposite of farsightedness. People who are nearsighted tend have trouble seeing objects far away, but have no problem reading something in close range. This is the more common of the two conditions, and it, too, is easily diagnosed and treated. People who are nearsighted typically realize they have a problem when they start to be unable to distinguish letters or characters that are far off in the distance, such as road signs or clocks. This condition generally worsens as a person ages.

Presbyopia – The Mayo Clinic describes presbyopia as the gradual loss of being able to focus on nearby objects. This is a natural, inevitable part of aging and generally starts to become apparent after age 40. Presbyopia can also be corrected and identified through a basic eye exam.

Astigmatism – Astigmatism is a mild imperfection in the curvature of a person’s eye. It is easily treated, but it does cause blurred vision at all distances. This condition tends to remain constant over time, not worsening as in other disorders. A large percentage of people have astigmatism, but the degree to which it impacts a person’s life varies greatly. In more severe cases, people can get corrective lenses or have surgery to help fix the problem.

Even though each of these conditions is different from the others, the bottom line is that all of them can be corrected by simply seeing your eye care practitioner for a basic exam. The best part is that by using your discount vision plan, you can make vision correction an affordable and enjoyable process! Don’t let money stand in the way of having clear eyesight.

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