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What is the difference between myopia and hypermetropia?

Published in Eye Conditions 1 min read

The fundamental difference between myopia and hypermetropia lies in how the eye focuses light, leading to different vision impairments.

Myopia and hypermetropia are refractive errors that affect vision. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

Myopia (Short-sightedness)

  • Also known as short-sightedness, in myopia, distant objects appear blurry, while near objects are clear.
  • This happens because the eye focuses light in front of the retina.

Hypermetropia (Long-sightedness)

  • Also known as long-sightedness, in hypermetropia, near objects appear blurry, while distant objects are often clear (although, with significant hypermetropia, even distant vision can be affected).
  • This occurs because the eye focuses light behind the retina.

Key Differences Summarized

The following table summarizes the differences between myopia and hypermetropia:

Feature Myopia (Short-sightedness) Hypermetropia (Long-sightedness)
Alternative Name Short-sightedness Long-sightedness
Near Vision Clear Blurry
Distance Vision Blurry Clear (or blurry in significant cases)
Light Focus Point In front of the retina Behind the retina

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