Myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia: What are they?

Vision is an essential sense in our daily lives. However, it is rare to meet someone who does not experience any visual impairments during their lifetime. Among the most common are myopia , hyperopia , astigmatism and presbyopia . Understanding these visual abnormalities allows us to better correct them and adopt good habits to maintain our eye health.

Myopia: seeing up close, but not far away

Myopia is a vision disorder in which the eye is too long or the cornea is too curved. As a result, light rays converge in front of the retina, blurring distance vision.

Common signs:

> Difficulty reading signs from a distance,
> Squint to see better,
> Get closer to screens or books,

Correction:

> Glasses or Contact Lenses ,
> Refractive surgery (such as LASIK) in some cases.

Hyperopia: seeing far away, but not near

Hyperopia is the opposite of myopia. The eye is too short or the cornea too flat, causing the image to form behind the retina.

Common signs:

> Eye strain when reading,
> Frequent headaches,
> Blurred vision up close (and sometimes also at a distance depending on the degree).

Correction:

> Glasses or Contact Lenses ,
> Surgery possible in cases of severe hyperopia.

Astigmatism: distorted vision at all distances

Astigmatism is caused by an irregularity in the curvature of the cornea or lens. Instead of being perfectly spherical, the surface of the eye is oval, like a rugby ball, which causes image distortion.

Common signs:

> Blurry or distorted vision, both near and far,
> Difficulty distinguishing certain letters (e.g.: H, M, N),
> Visual fatigue

Correction:

> Glasses or Toric Lenses ,
> Adapted refractive surgery.

Presbyopia: the natural aging of vision

Presbyopia is not a disease but a natural, age-related phenomenon. It generally appears from the age of 40-45. The lens loses its flexibility and can no longer deform to focus up close.

Common signs:

> Need to move away from the texts to read,
> Difficulty focusing up close,
> Eye fatigue at the end of the day.

Correction:

> Reading glasses or progressive lenses,
> Multifocal lenses ,
> Specific surgery (less frequent).

These visual disorders are very common and often easy to correct. Regular follow-up with an ophthalmologist can detect these abnormalities early and maintain good vision quality. If you experience visual discomfort, don't wait: appropriate correction can significantly improve your daily comfort.