Nearsightedness (myopia) is a common vision condition in which objects up close appear clear and distant objects appear blurry. Nearsightedness is due to a refractive error that causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of on it.

Nearsightedness can be corrected by:

• Eyeglasses; eyeglasses are made with concave lenses that diffuse light. They help correct shortsightedness.
• Contact lenses; contact lenses require specific care and cleaning to prevent corneal infection. Also, wearing contact lenses for an extended periods of time, can over time, cause skin cell deterioration, as well as dry eyes and allergic conjunctivitis. For some, chronic eye issues will result in the person no longer being able to wear contact lenses.

Permanently Fixing Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness can be fixed through vision correction surgery. There are 3 types of laser eye surgery for nearsightedness: ReLEx SMILE, Femto LASIK, and PRK.

Prevention of Nearsightedness

• Modify lifestyle behaviors to reduce the risk factors. For example, reduce near work activities such as watching TV, playing video games, and reading and increase outdoor activities for about 2 hours a day, such as playing sports, walking outside.
• ​When performing near work activities such as reading, hold the book or tablet at least one upper arm’s length away from your eyes.
• Rest your eyes frequently when doing near work activities such as doing homework or using your cell phone or computer. Follow the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, rest your eyes by looking about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Farsightedness (hyperopia) is the vision condition in which objects up close appear blurry and distant objects appear clear. Farsightedness is due to the person’s eyeball being shorter than normal or if their cornea is curved too little.  

Non-Permanent Treatment

• Eyeglasses; strong frames and lenses will protect your eyes from accidents
• ​Contact lenses

Permanently Fixing Farsightedness

Farsightedness can be fixed through vision correction surgery. There are 2 types of laser eye surgery for farsightedness: Femto LASIK and PRK.

Prevention of Farsightedness

Congenital farsightedness cannot be prevented but it can be detected early. Parents should take their child to see an ophthalmologist for an eye examination. People with congenital farsightedness are at risk for other eye conditions such as cataracts, so it’s important to have annual eye exams.

Astigmatism is a type of refractive error that causes blurry eyesight whether looking near or far. The cause of astigmatism is due to the person’s cornea or lens being more curved than normal. This affects how light refracts to the retina, resulting in blurry and distorted vision.  Astigmatism can occur in conjunction with nearsightedness or farsightedness.

Non-Permanent Treatment

• Cylindrical lens eyeglasses
• ​Contact lenses, specifically for astigmatism

Permanently Fixing Astigmatism

Astigmatism can be fixed through vision correction surgery. There are 3 types of laser eye surgery for nearsightedness and astigmatism: ReLEx SMILE, FemtoLASIK, and PRK.

Prevention of Astigmatism

Unfortunately, astigmatism cannot be prevented, but taking good care of your eyes reduces the risk of it becoming more severe in the future:

• Good, adequate lighting will help with maintaining good eye health 
• Avoid prolonged use of the eyes; such activities include using a computer, watching TV, reading a book. Make sure to rest your eyes periodically
• Avoid rubbing your eyes to prevent damage to the cornea
• Eat foods that nourish your eyesight, meaning foods that contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, Zeaxanthin, such as green leafy vegetables and fruit

Presbyopia is the gradual loss of the eyes’ ability to focus on near subjects. Aging is the main factor due to the hardening of the eye’s lens, and it generally starts at age 40. 

Non-Permanent Treatment

• Eyeglasses; there are a few different eyeglass options for seeing near, such as bifocals, trifocals, and progressive lenses
• ​Contact lenses; there are different types of contact lenses, such as bifocal contact lenses and multifocal contact lenses

Permanently Fixing Presbyopia

• Monovision is a vision correction technique where one eye is corrected for distance viewing and the other is corrected for near viewing, meaning that when both eyes are open, the person can see both near and far. This can be achieved through contact lenses or laser eye surgery such as ReLEx SMILE, Femtosecond LASIK, or PRK
• FemtoLASIK PRESBYOND is a bladeless LASIK procedure. It uses the PRESBYOND laser to increase corneal curvature, resulting in the person being able to see far distances clearer 

Prevention of Presbyopia

Presbyopia is an age-related condition. Although it cannot be prevented, it’s important to maintain good care of the eyes to prevent them from worsening and developing other conditions:

• Good, adequate lighting will help with maintaining good eye health 
• Eat foods that nourish your eyesight, meaning foods that contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, Zeaxanthin, such as green leafy vegetables and fruit
• Wear sunglasses when outdoors during the day
• Drink enough water
• Refrain from smoking and limit alcohol consumption
• Exercise regularly
• Control chronic diseases that may cause vision loss, such as diabetes and high blood pressure
• Have annual eye examinations; many eye diseases can be treated or reduced in severity if discovered and treated early on