Common visual problems
Our Optometrists?will not only test your vision and, if necessary, prescribe glasses or contact lenses, but will also check closely for any early signs of eye disease or other medical condition. ?All visual problems detected will be explained in our Practice but please feel free to explore the most common visual problems that we encounter below. ?Animation has been included to aid understanding of the conditions.
Here are some of the most common visual problems
Short sightedness
Long sightedness (hypermetropia)
When we are young, we overcome long-sightedness by bulging out the lens in the eye.?However, as we get older, the lens gets harder and can no longer bulge out enough.?Long-sightedness can be corrected by spectacles or contact lenses.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is slightly “rugby ball shaped”?The effect of this is that lines of different orientations?come to a focus at different points in the eye.?This results in blurred vision when looking in the distance and reading. The degree and angle of astigmatism can vary from eye to eye.?If you have astigmatism you may notice that objects of certain orientations look clearer.
Presbyopia
When this muscle constricts, the lens bulges out and close objects come into focus. As we get older the lens continues to grow and becomes inflexible and the closest point that we can focus on gradually gets further away. Most people over the age of 45 require glasses for reading.