Refractive Errors of the Eye

The most common types of refractive errors are myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. We can correct refractive errors with appropriate lenses. Nearsightedness (myopia) occurs when the eye grows too long from front to back. Instead of focusing images on the retina, the lens of the eye focuses the image in front of the retina. People with myopia have good near vision but poor distance vision. Far-sightedness (hyperopia) is a condition of the eye in which light is focused behind, instead of on, the retina. This results in close objects appearing blurry, while far objects may appear normal. Astigmatism is a common vision condition that causes blurred vision. It occurs when the cornea is irregularly shaped or sometimes because of the curvature of the lens inside the eye.