Refractive errors are vision problems that occur when the shape of the eye prevents the person from seeing and focusing properly. Blurred vision, for instance, is an unfortunate consequence of a refractive error, which negatively affects an individual’s quality of life.
Common Kinds of Refractive Errors
The four common refractive errors are:
• Presbyopia – This age-related vision problem impedes the individual’s ability to focus on close objects clearly.
• Astigmatism – This condition prevents the eye from focusing the light properly on the retina, a part of the eye that contains soft and light-sensitive layers of tissues. It could cause images to look stretched out and blurry.
• Hyperopia (or Farsightedness) – A person with this refracted error sees faraway objects better than close ones. As a result, nearby objects appear blurry.
• Myopia (or Nearsightedness) – An individual with a myopic eye sees close objects clearly but has trouble looking at faraway objects, and these objects can appear blurry.
What Causes Refractive Errors?
These errors are due to the problems in the following eye anatomy features:
• Curvature of the Lens – A lens that is too flat compared with the curvature of the cornea and the eye length results in hyperopia. On the other hand, a steeply curved lens causes myopia.• Curvature of the Cornea – Astigmatism is due to an irregularly shaped cornea.
• Length of the Eye – Hyperopia is due to an eyeball that’s too short. This stops light from focusing on the retina directly. Conversely, an eyeball that’s too long results in myopia. It causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of hitting the surface directly.
If you have a refractive error, such as nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism or presbyopia, refractive surgery is a method for correcting or improving your vision. There are various surgical procedures for correcting or adjusting your eye's focusing ability by reshaping the cornea, or clear, round dome at the front of your eye.
Schedule a refractive surgery evaluation at Eye Surgeons of Indiana
Treating Refractive Errors with Surgery
Various options exist to correct refractive errors. One of them is refractive surgery. This medical procedure is for people who want to decrease their dependence on contact lenses and eyeglasses. While prescription eyewear offers predictable and accurate vision correction, they’re prone to get misplaced or scratched. With surgery, individuals could do away with prescription eyewear along with the inconveniences associated with using them.
Refractive surgery corrects the following vision problems:
• Astigmatism – The surgeon selectively reshapes parts of the problematic cornea to make it symmetrical and smooth.
• Hyperopia – The procedure involves making the flat cornea steeper, which boosts the focusing power of the eye.
• Myopia – The doctor performs surgical techniques to decrease the cornea’s curvature. It reduces the eye’s focusing power.
• Presbyopia – The ophthalmologist uses a laser to reshape the cornea for clear close-up vision in one eye and better far vision in the other.
Our eye care practice provides the following types of refractive surgery:
Individuals going through this treatment option can enjoy the following benefits:• Refractive Lens Exchange as a treatment for presbyopia and farsightedness
• Visian Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) to correct nearsightedness and astigmatism
• Reduced Need for Prescription Eyewear – Contact lenses and eyeglasses make people feel disabled due to the restrictions they set. Refractive surgery frees people from such limitations.• Opportunity to Improve Appearance – This surgical procedure is a solution for individuals who want to eliminate eyeglasses from their everyday physical appearance.
• Better Career Opportunity – Certain jobs, such as firefighters and pilots, require excellent visual acuity. Refractive surgery allows people to pursue their dream career without worrying about the condition of their vision.
Want to know if you’re an ideal candidate for refractive surgery? Schedule a consultation with Eye Surgeons of Indiana by filling out our contact form. Alternatively, you can give us a call at (317) 841-2020.