A Brief Look At Correctable
Vision Problems.
While we’d all love to have perfect vision naturally, the
truth of the matter is the human eye is an incredibly delicate system. Minute
flaws in the lens or cornea, retina or iris can cause conditions that require
vision correction.
Many common vision conditions are correctable with a
professional eye exam, followed by a prescription for corrective lenses. Here is
a brief summary of the most commonly correctable vision problems. More
information on many of these conditions can be found in the
Your Eyes section of My Glasses Guide.
Commonly correctable vision problems.
Myopia — A vision condition that results
in seeing objects near to you clearly, but seeing objects far away less clearly.
Myopia is commonly referred to as “near-sighted”.
Hyperopia — A vision condition that
results in seeing objects in the distance clearly, but seeing objects close-up
less clearly. Hyperopia is commonly called being “far-sighted”.
Astigmatism — This condition is the
result of an irregular curvature in the eye. Astigmatism affects the way the eye
processes light, and results in slightly to moderately blurred vision.
Presbyopia — A progressive condition that
is considered a perfectly natural part of ageing. Likely caused by a gradual lack
of flexibility in the eye lens, presbyopia is seen as a decrease in the ability
to focus sharply on nearby objects.
Additional vision problems.
Amblyopia — Sometimes called “lazy eye”
in young children, this presents as reduced vision in one eye due to poor
transmission of information between that eye, and the brain.
Colour Deficiency — Commonly called “colour
blindness”, this condition is marked by an inability to distinguish certain
colours — typically shades of red or green.
Nyctalopia — The problem of impaired
vision in dim light, low light or darkness is commonly called “night blindness”.
Strabismus — Sometimes called “crossed
eyes” in young children, this condition is really a lack of coordination between
the eyes, such as one or both eyes turning in, out, up or down.
Photophobia — Better known as “light
sensitivity”, this condition presents as discomfort or even pain when exposed to
direct or bright light.