{"id":17797,"date":"2021-10-05T06:56:16","date_gmt":"2021-10-05T06:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/?page_id=17797"},"modified":"2021-11-17T07:51:51","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T07:51:51","slug":"understanding-latent-hyperopia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.optometrists.org\/childrens-vision\/guide-to-pediatric-eye-conditions\/understanding-latent-hyperopia\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Latent Hyperopia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Approximately 25% of the population is affected by hyperopia, but how does this affect reading?<\/b><\/h2>\n

What is hyperopia?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Hyperopia (farsightedness)<\/a>, occurs when the eyeball is too short from front to back or the cornea’s curve is flatter than usual. As a result, rather than focusing directly on the retina, light focuses behind it.<\/p>\n

Hyperopia can cause difficulty focusing on close objects, impacting reading and the use of computers and digital devices.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

This can also impair distance vision, depending on the severity.<\/p>\n

What is latent hyperopia?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Hyperopia does not always cause blurry vision, as the focusing lens inside the eye can compensate by working harder.<\/p>\n

When the focusing muscles are used to improve the eye’s focusing power, the amount of farsightedness can be \u2018masked\u2019, this is referred to as latent hyperopia.<\/p>\n

Latent hyperopia can result in eye strain, headaches and fatigue.<\/b><\/p>\n

Since children under the age of 10 have exceptional focusing abilities, they can fix their farsightedness in part by accommodating or focusing their own eyes. However, this frequently results in strained and fatigued eyes, as well as headaches.<\/p>\n

Optometrists perform a cycloplegic refraction to determine the true extent of farsightedness by temporarily paralyzing the muscles that control accommodation.<\/p>\n

This allows the eye doctor to measure the correct level of hyperopia.<\/p>\n

What causes latent hyperopia?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Many newborns are hyperopic when they are born. Some outgrow the problem as their eyes expand and their close vision improves.<\/p>\n

Farsightedness can also be caused by other conditions, such as eye tumors,<\/a> diabetes<\/a> and lens dislocations.<\/p>\n

By the age of three, children should have a full eye examination<\/a> to rule out severe hyperopia, which can lead to the development of a crossed eye (strabismus)<\/a> or lazy eye (amblyopia).<\/a><\/p>\n

SEE RELATED: <\/strong>7 Common Pediatric Eye Conditions\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Schedule an eye exam with an eye doctor near you<\/a> to rule out the possibility of severe hyperopia.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t

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