The key difference between hyperopia and presbyopia is that hyperopia is a type of farsightedness that is mainly due to genetic changes, while presbyopia is a type of farsightedness that is mainly due to aging.
Hyperopia and presbyopia are two different types of visual problems. They are the two main types of farsightedness. In farsightedness, people are able to see things far away but unable to see things close up. Hyperopia is the traditional type of farsightedness that happens due to genetic changes. On the other hand, the development of presbyopia involves aging.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Hyperopia
3. What is Presbyopia
4. Similarities – Hyperopia and Presbyopia
5. Hyperopia vs Presbyopia in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Hyperopia vs Presbyopia
What is Hyperopia?
Hyperopia is a type of farsightedness. It is a condition where people are able to see distant objects clearly but objects up close seem blurry. Hyperopia may occur at any age. It usually occurs after birth due to genetic changes. Hyperopia is triggered by a cornea that is less powerful than normal, a lens that is less powerful than normal, or eyeballs that are shorter than normal. The signs and symptoms of this condition may include blurry vision when looking at near objects but clear vision when looking at distant objects, experiencing blurry vision at any distance in severe cases of hyperopia, eyestrain, and headaches when doing close work, holding reading material at a distance farther than normal, and needing brighter illumination to read. People who suffer from hyperopia have symptoms with no significant effects. Moreover, untreated hyperopia in children may lead to amblyopia or lazy eye.
Hyperopia can be diagnosed through a medical history and general eye examinations, such as visual acuity test, refraction test, and slit-lamp exam, to assess the structures of the eyes. Furthermore, treatment options for hyperopia include eyeglasses, contact lenses, corneal-based corrective laser surgery (laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK) or photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), and lens-based surgery by using a special intraocular lens implant.
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia is a type of farsightedness where people see blurred images when looking at close objects, even when wearing glasses. It normally starts around the age of 40 and progresses through age 60. Presbyopia is triggered by a natural aging process due to the hardening and inflexibility of the lens. In this condition, as age increases, the symptoms get worse. The signs and symptoms of presbyopia may include blurry vision when looking at near objects, eye strain, and headaches when doing close work, the need to hold reading material farther than arm’s length, and the need for brighter illumination to read.
Moreover, presbyopia can be diagnosed through family history and annual eye examination (refraction assessment to measure how well people see objects). Furthermore, treatment options for presbyopia may include eyeglasses such as prescription readers, bifocals, trifocals and progressives, office progressives, readers, contact lenses, refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK, SMILE) lens replacement, and corneal inlays.
What are the Similarities Between Hyperopia and Presbyopia?
- Hyperopia and presbyopia are two different types of visual problems.
- They are the two main types of farsightedness.
- In both conditions, people are not able to see close-up objects.
- Both conditions can be diagnosed through an eye examination.
- They can be treated through sunglasses and surgeries.
What is the Difference Between Hyperopia and Presbyopia?
Hyperopia is a type of farsightedness that is mainly due to genetic changes, while presbyopia is a type of farsightedness that is mainly due to aging. Thus, this is the key difference between hyperopia and presbyopia. Furthermore, hyperopia is observed in adults and children, while presbyopia is mainly observed in middle-aged adults and older adults.
The below infographic presents the differences between hyperopia and presbyopia in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Hyperopia vs Presbyopia
Farsightedness is a common vision problem. In this condition, people can see distant objects clearly, but objects nearby may be blurry. Hyperopia and presbyopia are the two main types of farsightedness. Hyperopia occurs mainly due to genetic changes, while presbyopia occurs mainly due to aging. So, this is the summary of the difference between hyperopia and presbyopia.
Reference:
1. Bailey, Gretchyn. “Having Trouble Viewing Your Phone up Close?” All About Vision.
2. “Presbyopia (Age-Related Farsightedness): Symptoms & Treatments.” Cleveland Clinic.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Hyperopia (Farsightedness)” By NIH Image Gallery (CC BY-NC 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Presbyopia” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia