What is the Difference Between Long Sighted and Short Sighted?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between long-sightedness and short-sightedness lies in how the eye focuses light on the retina, which affects a person's ability to see objects at different distances. Here are the main differences between the two:
Long-sightedness (Hyperopia or Hypermetropia):
- The eyeball is too short for its refractive power, causing light to focus behind the retina when the eye is relaxed.
- Distant objects are in focus, while near objects appear blurry.
- The ability to see near objects is affected, while the ability to see distant objects remains clear.
- Long-sightedness can often be compensated for in youth by the muscles in the eye, but as a person ages, reading glasses may be required to help with reading.
Short-sightedness (Myopia):
- The eyeball is too long from front to back, causing light to focus in front of the retina.
- Near objects are in focus, while distant objects appear blurry.
- The ability to see distant objects is affected, while the ability to see near objects remains clear.
- Short-sightedness is more common than long-sightedness and affects approximately 15% of people in Australia.
Both long-sightedness and short-sightedness can be treated with prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses. In some cases, refractive surgery is also an option.
Comparative Table: Long Sighted vs Short Sighted
The main difference between long-sightedness (hyperopia) and short-sightedness (myopia) is the ability to see objects at different distances. Here is a table summarizing the differences:
Feature | Long-Sightedness (Hyperopia) | Short-Sightedness (Myopia) |
---|---|---|
Near Vision | Blurry | Clear |
Far Vision | Clear | Blurry |
Refractive Error | Focuses behind the retina | Focuses in front of the retina |
Age-Related Changes | May experience deterioration of both near and far vision with age | Far vision deteriorates with age, near vision remains clear |
Treatment | Glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery | Glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery |
Both long-sightedness and short-sightedness are refractive errors, meaning that the light entering the eye does not focus properly on the retina. In long-sightedness, the light focuses behind the retina, causing blurry near vision, while in short-sightedness, the light focuses in front of the retina, causing blurry distance vision. Both conditions can be treated with glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery.
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