What Is Hyperopia (Farsightedness) And How Common Is It?

Aug. 24, 2009— -- Question: What is hyperopia (farsightedness) and how common is it?

Answer: Hyperopia, otherwise known as farsightedness, is a different error of the eye, or refractive error. In this situation, the eye is not strong enough, whether the eye is too short or it's not strong enough bending of light or refraction. So the image when it gets to the retina, or the film of the eye, is blurred. Now farsightedness is fairly common but often can be masked throughout life until maybe in the 40's or 50's because we have an ability to overcome some of our own weakness of the eye through our own muscle of the eye.