Presbyopia vs. hyperopia: What’s the difference?
While presbyopia and hyperopia (farsightedness) are both vision issues that make it hard to see clearly up close, their causes and the ways you treat them are different.
An age-related change that happens to almost everyone
Presbyopia is a normal part of aging that typically starts becoming noticeable around age 40. Why does this happen? Well, inside your eye you have a clear, flexible lens that, with the help of tiny muscles in your eye, changes shape to help you focus on things near and far. As you get older, that lens becomes less flexible, making it hard for your eye to focus on nearby objects. This can become especially difficult in dim light conditions. A telltale sign is a person holding their phone at arms length to be able to read it.
When distant objects are seen more clearly than close ones
While it is actually normal for full-term babies to be born with a small amount of hyperopia (farsightedness), hyperopia as an eye condition develops as a child’s eye grows. It can be caused by the eye growing too short, or developing a differently shaped cornea or lens. No matter the cause, the result is the same—the eye struggles to focus light properly in your eye when viewing nearby objects. Common symptoms of hyperopia may include blurry near vision, eye strain, fatigue and headaches.
Recap: A quick look at the differences
Presbyopia and hyperopia may seem similar at first, but the only thing they have in common is their main symptom—challenges with seeing up close. Let’s recap the differences:
With presbyopia:
- Symptoms don’t typically kick until around age 40
- It’s caused by the lens in the eye becoming less flexible
- Symptoms can be more noticeable if you’re in dim lighting
With hyperopia:
- Symptoms may include difficulty focusing on near objects, eye strain, fatigue and/or headache with near work
- It often starts in early childhood
- It’s caused by the natural shape of your eye, cornea, and/or lens
- If it’s mild, you may not notice symptoms
The two can combine forces
Since presbyopia and hyperopia have different causes, they can certainly coexist. Because of the fact that presbyopia is age-related, this doesn’t become an issue until later in life. If you already had vision correction for your hyperopia when presbyopia starts to become noticeable, it’s best to make a plan with your eye doctor.
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Footnotes
Consult your eye care professional for more information. J&J does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.
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