Laser Eye Surgery for long sight (hyperopia)

I don’t know about you, but I always struggle to remember if I am short or long-sighted.

Like many people, I know for sure that I’m one or the other, but the terms are so easily confused with each other — not to mention their numerous other names and medical terms — that I very often forget.

If you’re like me, here’s a little reminder to jog your memory: If you’re better at seeing objects in the distance but have trouble seeing those nearby, your vision works best at longer distances and you are long-sighted. If you’re better at seeing objects nearby but have trouble seeing those in the distance, your vision works best at shorter distances and you are short-sighted.

When it comes to their medical names — hyperopia and myopia — it helps if you remember the prefix ‘hyper’ like in hyperactive, means over, above, and beyond, and is therefore used in association with long-sightedness.

Now you’re up to speed and know whether or not you’re in the right place for your prescription, let’s explore hyperopia and how Laser Eye Surgery is used to treat it.

A short and simple solution to long-sightedness

Hyperopia, even though it is characterised by its effects on your near vision, can develop to affect your vision at a distance too. Coupled with the headaches that so often come when trying to focus on objects up close, this can make hyperopia hugely disruptive in the lives of many people.

In the past, hyperopia would have meant a lifetime of glasses or contact lenses and simply putting up with the occasional headaches. Fortunately today, it is commonly and effectively treated with Laser Eye Surgery.

In hyperopia, your eyeball is shorter and flatter than it should be. This abnormality causes the light rays that enter the eye to focus behind the retina rather than directly on it, causing distorted images in your near field of vision.

Following the same principle as glasses, Laser Eye Surgery changes the way light bends and focuses on the retina. Although, instead of doing it temporarily via a clunky external lens, Laser Eye Surgery does it by permanently correcting the curvature of the cornea.

By doing this Laser Eye Surgery offers a host of benefits over external lenses and can make a huge difference to everyday life — from simple things such as reading and taking a shower to becoming more active and involved in sports. Many patients who have Laser Eye Surgery often find it improves their social interactions too, as they can recognise and read faces easier and feel more comfortable in their surroundings.

One of the main barriers that stop people having Laser Eye Surgery to correct their hyperopia is the belief that the risk to benefit ratio is too high. This may have been the case in the 90’s, but in 2016 Laser Eye Surgery is, in fact, safer than a lifetime of wearing contact lenses. And if you find a clinic with an impressive track record, there can even be up to a 98 percent chance you achieve at least 20/32 vision — even better than the UK driving standard.

Ask us a question below to find out more about Laser Eye Surgery for long-sightedness, or if you’d like to book a consultation with us, give us a call us on 020 7224 1005.