Picture of Farsightedness

About one in four people in the U.S. have hyperopia or farsightedness, in which people have difficulty focusing on close objects. The occurrence of hyperopia increases with age; at least half of all people over the age of 65 have some degree of farsightedness. The condition occurs when light entering the eye focuses behind the retina instead of directly on it. An abnormally flat cornea or short eye can cause the light to be focused in this fashion. To correct hyperopia you must change the way the light rays bend when entering your eye. Glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery can all be used to correct farsightedness.