What is the Difference Between Hypermetropia and Myopia?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Hypermetropia, also known as farsightedness, and myopia, also known as nearsightedness, are both refractive eye errors that affect vision. They have some distinct differences, mainly related to the way light is focused within the eye.
Hypermetropia (farsightedness):
- In patients with hypermetropia, the eyeball is too short, causing the light to be refracted behind the retina.
- Objects that are further away can be seen clearly, while those that are close to the face appear blurred.
- Common symptoms include blurred vision when looking at objects nearby, squinting, eyestrain, headaches, and difficulty reading.
Myopia (nearsightedness):
- In patients with myopia, the eyeball has grown too long relative to its focusing power, causing the light to be refracted by the cornea in such a way that it falls short of landing in front of the retina.
- Nearby objects, such as books and digital screens, can be seen clearly without prescription lenses, but distant objects appear blurred and out of focus.
- Common symptoms include blurred vision when looking afar, squinting, eyestrain, headaches, and difficulty driving.
Both conditions are typically hereditary and caused by the inappropriate shapes of an eyeball or lens, leading to refractive errors. Treatment for myopia and hypermetropia can include prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, and refractive surgeries.
Comparative Table: Hypermetropia vs Myopia
The main difference between hypermetropia (farsightedness) and myopia (nearsightedness) is the distance at which a person can see objects clearly. Here is a table summarizing the differences between the two:
| Feature | Hypermetropia (Farsightedness) | Myopia (Nearsightedness) |
|---|---|---|
| Objects | Can see distant objects clearly, but close objects appear blurry | Can see close objects clearly, but distant objects appear blurry |
| Cause | Eyeball is too short or there is not enough curvature of the lens | Eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved |
| Focusing | Light focuses behind the retina | Light focuses in front of the retina |
| Symptoms | Difficulty reading, eye strain | Headaches, eye strain |
| Treatment | Corrective lenses, glasses, or contacts | Corrective lenses, glasses, or contacts |
Both hypermetropia and myopia are refractive conditions, meaning that the eye does not focus light properly on the retina. In hypermetropia, the light focuses behind the retina, causing close objects to appear blurry. In myopia, the light focuses in front of the retina, making distant objects appear blurry. Both conditions can be improved with corrective lenses, such as glasses or contacts.
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