What is the definition of hyperopia?

Hyperopia, commonly known as farsightedness, is a refractive error where distant objects can be seen more clearly than close ones. This occurs because light entering the eye is focused behind the retina rather than directly on it, which results in difficulty focusing on near tasks, such as reading or sewing. In people with hyperopia, the eyeball may be shorter than average or the cornea may not have enough curvature, both of which affect how light is refracted within the eye.

In contrast, near-sightedness refers to myopia, where close objects are seen clearly but distant ones are blurry. Gradual vision loss generally refers to age-related changes in vision or specific diseases rather than a specific type of refractive error. Double vision, known as diplopia, is a condition where a person sees two images of a single object, unrelated to either myopia or hyperopia. The definition of hyperopia as farsightedness is thus a key concept in understanding vision refractive errors and how they impact everyday tasks.