Vision Problems

Astigmatism

Astigmatism is a description of the curvature of the cornea or lens.  It means that the cornea or lens is shaped more like a football than a basketball.  The difference in curvature results in blurred or distorted vision. Other symptoms of astigmatism include the need to squint, eye strain from squinting, headaches and eye fatigue.

In reality, most people have some degree of astigmatism, which is usually present at birth and is believed to be hereditary. In minor cases, treatment may not be required but is certainly beneficial. Moderate to severe astigmatism can be treated with corrective eyewear or LASIK surgery.

Hyperopia (Farsightedness)

Farsightedness, medically known as hyperopia, refers to vision that is better at a distance but not at close range.  Farsightedness is not an accurate description of this condition.  In reality, farsightedness means that your eye muscles must work for you to see clearly at distance and work harder for you to see clearly up close.  Mild farsightedness may be tolerable and not need any treatment.  In some cases you will have mild eyestrain and fatigue especially toward the end of the day.  In worse cases it can be completely blurry at both distance and near.  Symptoms of farsightedness get worse as presbyopia (see below) sets in.  Each year we age the muscles have to work a little harder to compensate for farsightedness.

Farsightedness occurs when the eyeball is shorter than normal, as measured from front to back, or when the cornea has too little curvature. This reduces the distance between the cornea and retina, causing light to converge behind the retina, rather than on it.

If you are mildly farsighted, your eye care provider may not recommend corrective treatment at all. However, if you are moderately or severely hyperopic, you may have several treatment options available, including eyeglasses, contacts, LASIK and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Doctor Allen will help you determine the best treatment option for you.

Myopia (Nearsightedness)

Nearsightedness, medically known as myopia, refers to vision that is good at close range but not at a distance. It generally occurs because the eyeball is too “long” as measured from front to back.

Nearsightedness is diagnosed during routine eye exams and possible treatments include eyeglasses, contacts, acrylic corneal implants, LASIK, radial keratotomy (RK) and photorefractive keratotomy (PRK).  Doctor Allen will discuss the various treatment options with you.

Presbyopia (Aging Eyes)

Aging eyes, medically known as presbyopia, is a condition in which the lens of the eye gradually loses its flexibility, making it harder to focus clearly on close objects such as printed words.  The lens begins changing in our teenage years and starts to become symptomatic around 40 to 45 years old.  It continues to change and get worse for another 20 years.  Although distance vision is usually not affected, people with farsightedness will notice that their distance vision gets worse too.

Unfortunately, presbyopia is an inevitable part of aging and cannot be prevented by diet, lifestyle or visual habits. However, it is treatable with several types of corrective lenses, including progressives, bifocals and trifocals, single-vision reading glasses, multifocal contact lenses and monovision therapy.  Cataract surgeries now include the option of multifocal implant lenses for some patients.