The hyperopic eye is too short, and therefore distance and near vision is blurry. Farsightedness (hyperopia) results when structural defects in the eye cause your vision to be blurry. If you are farsighted, you see distant objects more clearly than close objects, though both near and distant vision may be affected, and you may have trouble focusing when performing tasks such as reading or sewing. Although these defects (such as a shorter eyeball or a flat cornea) are often present early in life, normal development and lengthening of the eyeball during early childhood usually corrects the condition.

As you age, your eyes lose the ability to change the shape of the lens to focus on near objects. Farsightedness is often first noticed after age 40 when the eyes begin to lose their ability to accommodate. The age-related decline in focusing power, called presbyopia, makes farsightedness more apparent.

What Causes Farsightedness?

Farsightedness occurs when light entering the eye focuses behind the retina instead of directly on it. This happens when an eye is too short lengthwise, the cornea is not curved enough, or the lens sits farther back in the eye than normal.

Farsightedness often runs in families. In rare instances, some diseases such as retinopathy, eye tumors, and lens dislocation can also contribute to the development of farsightedness.

What Are the Symptoms of Farsightedness?

Symptoms of farsightedness can include blurred vision, difficulty seeing objects up close, aching eyes, eyestrain, and headaches.

Children with this condition may have no symptoms. A child with more severe farsightedness may get headaches or rub his or her eyes often. Difficulty or lack of interest in reading is another possible sign of farsightedness. Farsightedness also increases the risk for crossed eyes. Any child with crossed eyes should be seen by an ophthalmologist.