IT is very common, and starts affecting people at a young age. In this condition people have difficulties viewing objects in the distance, but may have no problems focusing on objects that are up close. They need to use minus lens to see clearly. There is a tendency of the number to increase with age and it usually stabilizes by age of 20 years.
 Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too steep (curved). When rays of light enter a myopic (long) eyeball, they are focused in front of the retina instead of directly on the retina. Symptoms of nearsightedness can include eyestrain, blurred vision or headaches.

Hypermetropia is also a common condition wherein people have difficulty in focusing at near but can see objects at a distance clearly. Hypermetropia occurs when the eyeball is too short or the cornea is too flat. When rays of light enter a hyperopic (short) eyeball, they are focused behind the retina. Because of this, the focusing apparatus in the eye must work constantly to make up for the problem and focus images. Symptoms of farsightedness can include eyestrain, blurred vision, or headache (especially when reading or at the end of the day). Symptoms can increase after long working hours. Hypermetropia is corrected with plus lenses.

Astigmatism means that the cornea is oval like a rugby ball instead of spherical like a cricket ball. Most astigmatic corneas have two curves – a steeper curve and a flatter curve. This causes light to focus on more than one point in the eye, resulting in blurred vision at distance or near. Astigmatism often occurs along with nearsightedness or farsightedness. Patients with astigmatism have a tendency to squeeze their eyes to see the things clearly. Astigmatism is corrected with cylindrical lenses.

Presbyopia is a condition in which focusing for near objects is reduced. It generally affects people over the age of 40 years. Presbyopia is generally believed to stem from a gradual loss of flexibility of the natural lens inside our eye. The eye’s lens stiffens with age, losing its ability to focus at near objects. The result is blurred near vision. There is a need to wear reading glasses for this.

Medical technology has advanced rapidly and now a variety of solutions are available to treat these various eye conditions. From simple spectacles to modern contact lenses and further on to advanced LASER surgeries, we now have corrective options to suit every condition and budget.