Refractive Errors

Myopia is caused by an elongated cornea. Individuals with myopia have difficulty seeing at a distance because their corneas are too long. The longer cornea causes the eye to incorrectly focus light on the retina. Glasses or contacts are used to correct this problem non-surgically. For those individuals who would like to permanently correct their vision, Laser Vision Correction such as LASIK is an alternative.

Hyperopia is caused by a shortened cornea. Persons with hyperopia do not see well near or far. Light is incorrectly focused on the retina because of the flatter, shorter shape of the cornea. Again glasses or contacts are used to non-surgically correct this problem. Laser Vision Correction such as LASIK is an excellent surgical treatment for those individuals who desire permanent results.

Astigmatism is usually caused by an irregular shaped cornea. Instead of the cornea being spherically as it is when someone has good vision, an individual with astigmatism has a cornea shaped similar to a football – pointed instead of round. This causes the person to experience blurred or double vision. This condition can also be treated non-surgically with glasses or contacts and surgically with Laser Vision Correction such as LASIK.

Presbyopia is caused by the inability to focus on near objects as we age. Individuals who never experienced difficulty seeing clearly suddenly find, as they approach their mid-forties, they are unable to read the newspaper or a book clearly. This is part of the natural aging process caused, as we age, by the inflexibility of the muscles surrounding the lens. Non-surgical treatment includes glasses or contacts. Surgical treatment includes various forms of permanent surgical procedures such as LASIK or CK.