Common Vision Problems

Optical defects that involve light improperly focusing on the retina of the eye --collectively called Refractive errors--are the most frequent eye problems in the U.S. The group of refractive errors include: Hyperopia (Farsightedness) - distant objects are seen clearly and near ones blurred, Myopia (Nearsightedness) - near objects are seen clearly and distant ones blurred, Astigmatism-uneven focus, and Presbyopia-Age-related problem involving near focus.

Significant vision impairment can result from uncorrected or under-corrected refractive errors. Almost all refractive errors can be corrected by eyeglasses or contact lenses. In fact more than 150 million Americans use corrective eyewear to correct a refractive error, contributing to America's 30 million dollar optical industry. Most problems of vision result from an irregularity in the cornea's curvature. Normally the cornea (clear-front covering of the eye) is curved equally in all directions and allows light to focus exactly on the retina's surface. The retina is the light sensitive tissue at lines the back of the eye that takes light rays and changes them into nerve signals that are sent to the brain to register images

Hyperopia is an inherited condition that increases with age affecting the clearness of near objects. With Hyperopia the cornea is too flat or the distance from the cornea to the retina is too short. When light rays coming from a nearby object pass through your eye and do not come into focus before striking the retina what results is blurred vision. The natural lens "fine tunes" the image before it is focused on the retina, located at the back of the eye. The retina captures light images passed through the lens of the eye and sends the images through the optic nerve to the brain. A person with hyperopia needs corrective lenses for reading but, can see to drive