Living With Hyperopia: Tips and Tricks for Coping With Farsightedness

Living With Hyperopia: Tips and Tricks for Coping With Farsightedness

Refractive errors in the form of astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia are the most common eye conditions worldwide. Of the three, myopia affects the highest numbers, followed by hyperopia, the inverse of myopia. 

Hyperopia affects vision by making things that are far away clear and those close appear blurry. The severity of the condition varies with people, and early intervention is crucial in preventing future complications. 

What Is Hyperopia?

Hyperopia, farsightedness, or long-sightedness is a condition that affects near vision and can occur due to several issues. It may occur naturally from birth or due to aging, damage to the cornea or lens, or even increasing the eye's axial length. 

People with the condition find it harder to do close-up work like writing or reading. Sometimes, people with the condition may also have a degree of myopia comorbid with it. The standard treatments for hyperopia are corrective lenses, glasses, or corrective laser surgery. 

Symptoms of Hyperopia

• Blurry vision when doing close-up work like using computers or books.
• Headaches or eye fatigue after extended periods of close-up work.
• Squinting to see close-up objects.
• Poor performance with close-up vision tasks.
• Difficulty tracking objects that are moving farther.
• Double vision.
• Straining or discomfort in bright light.
• Irritation or eye redness.

Tips and Tricks for Coping With Hyperopia

Because of the limitation of hyperopia with close-up vision, people with the condition have difficulty focusing on near objects. However, there are some eye exercises that you can do to improve this limitation of vision. 

Blinking Exercises

You can try to blink several times rapidly and focus on the sensation of light-headedness and eyelid relaxation that ensues. 

Exercises to Shift Focus

First, fix your sight on something straight ahead, then rapidly shift your focus between two objects at varying distances. You can blink between shifts to keep your eyes from straining when you change focus. It will help keep your eyes from focusing too hard or too often on a single object.

Exercises for Near-distance Targeting

This exercise teaches your eyes how to pay attention to close-up objects. You can pick something close to you and focus on it for about 20 seconds. Then, shift your focus to something further away for another 20 seconds and repeat. Do this several times without straining your eyes too much.

Exercises for Eye Movement

With this exercise, you will pick three objects—one close-up, one mid-distance, and another further away. Then shift your focus between the objects as if tracing out an X in the air. Take several deep breaths throughout the exercise to release tension in your eye muscles. 

Exercises for Double Vision

With this exercise, you can pick an object that is close to you or one that is farther away. Then practice focusing your eyes in opposing directions without changing focus with each eye. Ensure that you take breaks to prevent any eyestrain from developing. You can take breaks every five minutes because looking in an opposing direction can be challenging.

For more tips and tricks for coping with farsightedness, visit Justice Vision Clinic at our office in Duluth, Georgia. Call (770) 626-7883 to book an appointment today.