Hyperopia: Symptoms, Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

Hyperopia is a condition in which you can see distant objects clearly but objects nearby are blurry. People with mild hyperopia are able to see objects that are closer clearly while people with severe hyperopia are able to clearly see objects at a great distance. It happens when the cornea of your eye does not refract the light properly due to which the point of focus falls behind the retina making the close objects blurry. It usually runs in the genetics.

You must see a doctor when you feel that you need to squint to see clearly, have an eye strain, pain around eyes or burning eyes. The biggest sign of hyperopia is discomfort while reading, writing, drawing or working on a computer. It is generally known to start in adults around the age of 35-40 years. Most hyperopia problems can be solved by spectacles or contact lenses. You can also go for a refractive surgery to cure your condition.

You must consult a doctor as soon as you feel any discomfort in your eyes. The sooner this condition is treated, the better results you will experience. There are different kinds of eye glasses available to assist you in seeing the nearby objects clearly. Bifocals, trifocals, progressive lenses and reading lenses are a few them. If you do not want to wear eye glasses or feel discomfort in wearing them, you can go for contact lenses. Hard, soft, extended-wear, disposable, rigid gas permeable and bifocal are the different types of contact lenses you can choose from according to your convenience.

Surgery is generally used to cure nearsightedness but it can be used to far sightedness as well. Laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is a procedure wherein, your doctor will make a thin, circular hinged flap cut into your cornea. An excimer laser will be used to remove layers from the center of your cornea in order to steepen its domed shape. The thin corneal flap will be repositioned after the surgery.

Refractive surgery may have a few side effects like dry eye, infection, under correction or over correction of your problem. Visual side effects like halo or starburst appearing around lights may also be experienced. In rare cases, the patient may experience vision loss. Thus, it is very important to consult a trained and experienced ophthalmologist (eye doctor).

If you choose to wear eye glasses or contact lenses, your condition may improve over a few years if other precautions are taken properly. Refractive surgery may take a few days of special care.

One session of consultation with the doctor may cost between ₹800 - ₹ 1300 per session. Eye glasses may cost around ₹1500. The cost of LASIK may be around ₹40000 - ₹50000.

The results of surgery are mostly permanent.

There are no alternatives to this treatment but if hyperopia runs in your family, you must take care before you can experience any inconvenience. If you suffer from chronic diseases like diabetes or high blood pressure, you must ensure that you are taking proper treatment. These diseases can hamper your vision if not treated well.