But What Does It All Mean

Most people will require help with their eyesight at some stage in their lives, especially as they get older. Blurred vision can, however, take several different forms and these are descirbed here.
Short Sight

Known as myopia, this a refractive defect of the eye, where the person affected can usually see nearby objects clearly but distant objects appear blurred. In this case there will be a minus sign (-) in the sphere part of your prescription. You will probably need glasses for many everyday activities, including driving, sports and watching TV. People with high myopia are at greater risk of more acute eye problems such as retinal detachment or glaucoma. They are also more likely to experience floaters. The opposite of myopia is Long Sight or hyperopia.
Long Sight

Known as hyperopia (or more rarely, hypermetropia), this is a defect of vision which results in the inability to focus on near objects, and in extreme cases causing a sufferer to be unable to focus on objects at any distance. It is corrected by using eyeglasses with lenses of positive curvature (magnifying glasses). In this case there will be a plus sign (+) in the sphere part of your prescription. You may need glasses for reading, VDU work, driving and watching TV.
Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a condition that occurs with growing age and results in the inability of the human eye to focus on objects up close. The first symptoms are usually noticed at the age of 40-50. It can start with difficulty reading fine print, particularly if the lighting is poor, or with eye strain when reading for long periods. Presbyopia cannot be cured, but the loss of focusing ability can be compensated for by corrective lenses of the converging type. In subjects with other refractory problems, multifocal lenses (such as bifocal or trifcocal lenses) or progressive lenses may be required.
Astigmatism

Put simply, astigmatism is a condition whereby the front of the eye is oval in shape, rather than round (ie like a rugby ball rather than a football). Astigmatism, because of its irregular focusing can have many symptoms and effects:

  • Difficulty seeing distant objects
  • Difficulty seeing close objects
  • Difficulty with computer screens
  • Headaches
  • Fatigue
  • Ghosting (a faint overlapping second image)
  • Lights tend to appear spread out

This can be corrected by cylindrical lens glasses.