Hypermetropia, commonly known as hyperopia, is a disease associated with visual impairment, in which the image is not focused on the retina, but behind it.
There is an opinion that with hypermetropia of the eye a person can see objects located at a great distance, but when looking at objects that are near, the visual acuity is broken. In fact, this is not entirely true. With a high degree of hyperopia due to an abnormality of refraction, that is, a discrepancy between the eyeball and the norm, a person can equally badly see both objects located nearby and at a great distance.
Violation, in which the clarity of vision is preserved when looking afar, usually refers to the age-related farsightedness caused by disruption of accommodation of the lens.
Also, weak farsightedness is the norm in young children, and as it grows by increasing the eyeball and moving the focus to the retina, it passes.
Degrees of hypermetropia
In modern ophthalmology it is customary to distinguish three degrees of farsightedness:
- Hypermetropia 1 (weak) degree. Visual impairment is within +2 diopters. The patient can complain about eye fatigue when working with closely located objects, while reading, but at the same time do not fix vision impairment independently.
- Hypermetropia of 2 (medium) degree. The deviation of vision from the norm is from +2 to +5 diopters. Objects near lose their clarity, but the visibility of the distant remains good.
- Hypermetropia of 3 (strong) degree. The deviation of vision from the norm is more than +5 diopters. Indistinctly perceived objects located at any distance.
According to the type of manifestation, hypermetropia can be:
- Explicit hypermetropia - is associated with a constant tension of the ciliary muscle, which does not relax even in a state of rest, with no visual load.
- Latent hypermetropia - does not manifest itself in any way and is found only with drug paralysis of accommodation.
- Full hypermetropia - observed manifestations both explicit and hidden simultaneously.
Hypermetropia of low degree - consequences
As mentioned above, the farsightedness of the initial degree can be hidden and does not manifest itself at all, and it can be suspected only in medical examination or along with accompanying symptoms, such as rapid eye fatigue, headaches with visual load.
If a low degree of hyperopia is not detected and no measures are taken to correct it, then in the course of time, visual acuity decreases, and as a rule, only one eye, in contrast to myopia, where there is a decreased vision of both eyes.
Also, since a person with hyperopia has to strain his eyes when working with closely located objects, it is possible to develop a converging accommodative squint .
The problems described above are usually characteristic of congenital hyperopia or farsightedness that has arisen in adolescence.
While for people over 45, the development of hypermetropia of the first degree of both eyes is associated with age-related changes in muscles and tissues. The age-long farsightedness does not lead to strabismus.
Hypermetropia - treatment
Treatment of hypermetropia of a weak degree usually consists in using glasses to work with closely located objects, which helps to avoid overexertion of the eyes. In addition, the course of treatment includes the intake of vitamin preparations, gymnastics for the eyes and physiotherapy procedures. Surgical treatment at this stage of the disease is not applied.