Poor vision is actually a fairly common problem. Although everyone wishes they had 20/20 vision, the fact of the matter is that a large percentage of the world population has problems with their eyesight. For this reason millions of people turn to eyeglasses, contacts, or refractive surgery as solutions to poor vision problems. Some of the most common eye problems are known in the medical world as myopia and hyperopia. More commonly these eye problems are referred to as nearsightedness and farsightedness.

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a refractive defect of the eye which makes it so that close objects are seen clearly, but objects that are farther away appear out of focus or fuzzy. Myopia is a result of an eyeball that is too long or a cornea that has too much curvature. As a result, the light coming into the eye can’t be focused properly. Fortunately, myopia can be treated easily with eyeglasses, contacts, and refractive surgery. If you suspect you have myopia, visit an optometry clinic for an eye exam.

The other problem is called hyperopia or farsightedness. People with hyperopia have the opposite problem; objects that are near are fuzzy and out of focus, while distant objects appear clear. This occurs if the eyeball is too short or the cornea doesn’t have enough curvature. Fortunately, like myopia, hyperopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contacts, or refractive surgery. If you have trouble with your vision, it’s important to visit a medical professional for an eye exam to diagnose the problem and find out how to correct it.