Farsightedness, or hyperopia, as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which distant objects can be seen clearly, but close ones do not come into proper focus. Farsightedness occurs if your eyeball is too short or the cornea has too little curvature. In these cases, your eye can't correctly focus the light that enters it.

Common signs of hyperopia include difficulty concentrating and maintaining a clear focus on near objects, eye strain, fatigue and/or headaches after close work, aching or burning eyes, and irritability or nervousness after sustained concentration.

Common vision screenings, like the ones done in schools, often don't detect hyperopia. However, a comprehensive optometric examination will include the necessary testing to diagnose hyperopia. If needed, your optometrist can offer treatment options.

In mild cases of farsightedness, your eyes may be able to compensate without corrective lenses. In other cases, your optometrist can prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses that alter the way the light enters your eyes, allowing you to clearly see close objects.

Copyrighted information courtesy of the American Optometric Association