What does hyperopia refer to?

Hyperopia is a condition also known as farsightedness, where distant objects may be seen more clearly than nearby objects. This occurs because the eye is either too short or the cornea has too little curvature, causing light entering the eye to focus behind the retina instead of directly on it. As a result, individuals with hyperopia might struggle with tasks that require close-up vision, such as reading or threading a needle, leading to blurry vision at close distances.

In contrast, blurred vision can result from various issues, including refractive errors like hyperopia or even other conditions. Nearsightedness, or myopia, is another refractive error where close objects are seen clearly while distant objects appear blurry, which is the opposite of hyperopia. Visual distortion may refer to a variety of problems with how we perceive images and is not specific to the definition of hyperopia. Understanding these distinctions clarifies why farsightedness is the correct characterization of hyperopia.