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Types of refractive errors

A normal eye functions rather like a camera. The cornea is the clear window at the front of the eye. Along with the natural lens inside the eye the cornea should focus light coming from a distance clearly on to the retina at the back of the eye. The retina is equivalent to the film in the camera and changes light into electrical impulses that are carried by the optic nerve to the brain. The iris (coloured part of the eye) acts like the aperture of the camera, regulating the amount of light getting in.

An eye in which the light from a distance is not focused correctly on the retina has what we call a refractive error .


Myopia
If the cornea and lens are too strong, or if the eye is too long, then light will be focused in front of the retina. Objects in the distance are blurred but those closer are in focus...
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Hyperopia
Hyperopia is a little harder to understand. Objects in the distance are seen more clearly than those up close...
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Astigmatism
Astigmatism refers to the condition where the cornea does not have equally rounded curves like the side of a basketball, but has unequal curves, more like a football...
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Presbyopia
Presbyopia is often confused with hyperopia (long-sightedness). It is part of the normal process of ageing and occurs when the lens inside the eye gradually loses its accommodative ability to bring objects up close into focus...
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