Hyperopia (Long Sight)

Hyperopia is often referred to long sightedness.

When people are long sighted, they can see distance objects well but have difficulty focussing on objects that are close. This vision problem occurs when light rays entering the eye focuses behind the retina, rather than directly on it.

In hyperopia, the eye can 'accommodate' (adjust its own focusing strength) to temporarily compensate for part or all of the refractive error. However, this requires muscular effort which can cause eyestrain, headaches and other symptoms of visual stress.

A spectacle or contact lens of the correct power changes the path of the incoming light to focus on the retina, thereby being able to focus on an object normally, without the need for any additional assistance from the eye's ccommodative mechanism. 

People with hyperopia, may need glasses for reading, VDU work, driving and/ or watching TV, although many people with long sighted vision prefer to wear their glasses all the time.