Introduction

Long-sightedness affects the ability to see nearbyobjects. You may be able tosee distant objects clearly, butcloser objects are usually out of focus.

It often affects adults over 40, but can affect people of all ages including babies and children.

The medical name for long-sightedness is hyperopia or hypermetropia.

This page covers:

Symptoms

Getting an eye test

Causes

Treatments

Symptoms of long-sightedness

Long-sightedness can affect people in different ways.

Some people only have trouble focusing on nearby objects, while some people maystruggle to see clearlyat any distance.

If you're long-sighted, you may:

  • find that nearby objects are fuzzy and out of focus, but distant objects areclear
  • have to squint to see clearly
  • have tired or strained eyesafter activities that involve focusing on nearby objects, such as reading, writing orcomputer work
  • experience Headaches

Children who arelong-sighted often don'thave obvious issues with their vision at first. But if left untreated, it can lead to problems such as a squint or lazy eye .

Getting an eye test

If you think you or your child may be long-sighted, you should book an eye test at a local opticians. Find an opticians near you .

Having an eye test at least every two years is usually recommended, but you can have a test at any point if you have any concerns about your vision.

An eye test can confirm whether you're long or short-sighted , and you can be given a prescription for glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision.

For some people such as children under 16, or those under 19 and in full-time education eye tests are available free of charge on the NHS. Find out about NHS eyecare entitlements to check if you qualify.

Contact lenses and laser eye surgery carry a small risk of complications and aren't usually suitable for young children.

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Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 31 Aug 2016