Are You Nearsighted or Farsighted?
Nearsighted people are unable to see far away objects, while farsighted people are unable to see nearby objects. Learn more about nearsightedness and farsightedness.
Transcript: Are You Nearsighted or Farsighted?
How Normal Vision Works
During normal vision, light passes through the cornea, the clear covering of the eye, and then through the pupil, which is actually a hole in the colored part of the eye, or the iris. Light then passes through the lens, which focuses the image on the retina at the back of the eye. At this point the image is converted into electrical signals that are sent to the brain.What Is Nearsightedness?
A person who is nearsighted (myopia) sees nearby objects clearly, but due to the shape of the lens, the images of distant objects are focused in front of the retina, making the images blurred.What Is Farsightedness?
A farsighted person (hyperopia), sees far away objects clearly and nearby objects appear blurry because the lens focuses the images at a point behind the retina.Diagnosing Nearsightedness and Farsightedness
A physician can diagnosis these conditions (nearsighted/farsighted) with a standard ophthalmic examination.Copyrighted animations provided by Blausen Medical.