Understanding latent hyperopia
Latent hyperopia can quietly strain your eyes, often going unnoticed until discomfort sets in. Discover what it is, how it affects your vision, and the steps you can take to manage and treat this hidden form of farsightedness.
What is hyperopia?
Hyperopia (farsightedness) is when the eye’s shape causes light to focus behind the retina instead of directly on it. This makes distant objects appear more clear than those that are close. It can occur if the eyeball is shorter than usual, the cornea is less curved than normal, or the lens is thinner than normal.
How is latent hyperopia different?
With regular hyperopia, the eyes naturally struggle to focus on nearby objects, leading to blurry vision when reading or doing other up-close tasks. It’s easy to recognize that corrective lenses are needed because vision is clearly affected.
Latent hyperopia, however, is a “hidden” form of farsightedness. The eyes compensate by working harder to focus, so the vision problems aren’t noticeable at first. This happens because of a muscle in the eye called the ciliary muscle, which controls the shape of the lens. When it contracts, the lens becomes more rounded, improving focus on close objects. In this way, the farsightedness remains masked or hidden. Over time though, this extra effort can cause eye strain, headaches, or tired eyes.
Hyperopia, including latent forms, affects about 5% to 10% of the general population, although the prevalence can vary depending on factors such as age and location. Children, particularly those under 10, often compensate for latent hyperopia through the eye’s natural focusing abilities. However, with age, usually around 40, this ability weakens in a process called presbyopia, making latent hyperopia more noticeable.
Detection and diagnosis
During a comprehensive eye exam, the eye doctor will use cycloplegic drops to temporarily relax the ciliary muscle. This lets the eye return to its natural state, revealing the full extent of hyperopia that’s normally hidden by the muscle’s compensation. This allows the eye doctor to determine if correction is needed and provide a prescription for glasses or contact lenses.
Correction options
The most common way to treat latent hyperopia is with prescription glasses or contact lenses. These lenses help your eyes focus light correctly, which reduces strain on the eye muscles and can alleviate symptoms like blurry vision and headaches. While surgical options such as LASIK or PRK are available, they may not be as suitable for latent hyperopia due to the condition's tendency to change over time.
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Footnotes
Consult your eye care professional for more information. Johnson & Johnson does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.
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Important Information for Contact Lens Wearers: ACUVUE® Contact Lenses are available by prescription only for vision correction. An eye care professional will determine whether contact lenses are right for you. Although rare, serious eye problems can develop while wearing contact lenses. To help avoid these problems, follow the wear and replacement schedule and the lens care instructions provided by your eye doctor. Do not wear contact lenses if you have an eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If one of these conditions occurs, remove the lens and contact your eye doctor immediately. For more information on proper wear, care and safety, talk to your eye care professional and ask for a Patient Instruction Guide, call 1-800-843-2020, or download the Patient Instruction Guides.
