Understanding Refractive Vision Errors

Refractive vision errors are among the most common eye conditions affecting people of all ages. They happen when the light entering your eye does not fall correctly on the retina at the back of your eye, resulting in images being blurry or out of focus. Understanding the different refractive vision errors is crucial for getting the appropriate treatment to correct your vision. Palmetto Eye in Rock Hill, SC, is here to tell you about refractive vision errors and how our eye doctor can treat them.

Causes of Refractive Errors

Light entering your eye passes through the cornea and lens and is refracted by each before reaching the retina. Several factors can impede and obstruct the light entering your eye, such as your eye shape, the depth of the eye, the cornea's flatness, and the lens's thickness. Variations and changes in each can cause light to be improperly focused when it strikes the retina. These differences result in four refractive errors your optometrist might diagnose during an eye exam.

The Four Refractive Errors

The four refractive errors are nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia, and astigmatism. Nearsightedness affects about 40% of Americans and occurs when light comes into focus in front of the retina, making nearby objects appear blurry. Farsightedness affects 5-10% of people and occurs when light comes into focus behind the retina, making objects further away blurry. Presbyopia is common among those 40 and older and results from the lens stiffening due to age. This condition makes focusing on objects closer to you challenging. Astigmatism occurs when the lens has an irregular shape or thickness, causing some light to focus in front of the retina and other light to focus behind the retina. This condition causes both nearsightedness and farsightedness.

Treating Refractive Errors

Your optometrist near you can determine your refractive vision error through an eye exam. Fortunately, these conditions are highly treatable through prescription lenses. Your optometrist will generally correct refractive errors with eyeglasses or contact lenses tailored to your visual needs and preferences. Depending on your diagnosis, your eye doctor may suggest LASIK, RPK, or other surgery or implants. The appropriate treatment typically depends on your refractive error, age, lifestyle, and personal preferences.

Correct Your Vision Today at Palmetto Eye in Rock Hill, SC

Refractive vision errors can significantly impact your quality of life by causing blurry vision and eye strain, so contact Palmetto Eye in Rock Hill, SC, to correct your vision with prescription lenses today. Call us and schedule an eye exam at (803) 985-2020 to keep your eyes healthy and your vision strong.