Myopia vs. hyperopia: What's the difference?

Medically reviewed by Kate McClure, OD, MS, FAAO

What is Myopia?

Myopia is more than just nearsightedness

People who have myopia (also commonly referred to as nearsightedness) struggle to see things clearly unless they’re up close. Since myopia typically develops at a young age, parents may discover their child has it when the child can’t read the board at school or they need to sit closely to the TV to see what’s playing.

It’s important to note that our understanding of this eye condition continues to evolve. As the evidence grows, we’re learning blurry distance vision is just one of the symptoms associated with myopia. Myopia itself is a chronic, progressive disease that leads to the eye growing too long. This excessive eye growth doesn’t just make it harder to see things that are far away, it also may increase the chance of eye health issues later in life, like retinal detachment, certain types of macular degeneration—even blindness. 

Farsightedness, or difficulty seeing clearly up close

Essentially, hyperopia is the opposite of myopia. That’s because instead of the eye being too long, it’s too short (or the cornea isn’t curved enough). The effect is the opposite too—people with hyperopia have trouble seeing things that are up close, like when reading a book or using a smart phone. While hyperopia is not associated with severe eye health issues later in life like myopia is, asymmetric hyperopia can lead to amblyopia, or “lazy eye”.

Myopia vs Hyperopia

Compare and contrast the two vision issues

Key things to know about myopia and hyperopia

Myopia:

It’s easier to see things when they're up close
Caused by the eye growing too long
As the eye grows longer than it should, it can cause strain and stress to the delicate structures of the eye, leading to sight complications later in life
Exact cause is unknown, but there’s evidence that it's genetic, and that high levels of screen time can increase the risk of myopia by at least 30%
Typically stops progressing once a child’s body stops growing, but some people continue to progress into adulthood

Hyperopia:

Caused by the eye growing too short
It’s more difficult to see clearly up close
It’s hereditary, and usually you’re born with it

Symptoms

Different conditions, overlapping symptoms

While myopia and hyperopia cause opposite vision issues (nearsightedness and farsightedness, respectively), the rest of their symptoms are fairly similar. This is because regardless of cause, they both make it harder to focus on things in day-to-day life, which can put strain on the muscles in and around your eyes. These symptoms include:

Blurry vision
Headache
A sensation of eye strain or fatigue
Squinting

Treatments

Correcting these common vision issues

Both myopia and hyperopia can be diagnosed by an eye doctor via a comprehensive eye exam. During this appointment, they’ll take any necessary measurements and check the health of your eyes. Depending on what they find, they may recommend eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery.

What to Expect During a Contact Lens Exam

Managing childhood myopia

If you suspect your child may have a vision issue, it’s a good idea to schedule an eye exam with your eye doctor as soon as possible. This is important because myopia is a progressive disease—when caught early, its progression can be managed. Keeping myopia managed can potentially reduce the chance of developing dangerous eye conditions later in life, like myopic macular degeneration, glaucoma, and even sight loss. Some common treatments include:

Orthokeratology
Contact lenses
Glasses
Low-dose atropine^†

_{† Low-dose atropine is currently not approved by any regulatory body for myopia control. Atropine’s use is considered off-label and is subject to local regulatory, legal and professional requirements that the ECP must understand and comply with to cover all aspects of off-label prescribing in their country.}

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FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Can a person have both myopia and hyperopia?

Since these different vision issues are caused by different eyeball shapes, they can’t occur simultaneously in the same eye, but it is possible to have myopia in one eye and hyperopia in the other.

Which is worse, myopia or hyperopia?

It’s entirely case by case, since it depends on the severity of each condition. High levels of hyperopia can cause more visual challenges than low levels of myopia, and vice versa. Additionally, high levels of myopia can increase the risk of other eye health issues, like retinal detachment and certain type of macular degeneration, while certain types of hyperopia can lead to amblyopia (“lazy eye”).

Is astigmatism the same as myopia?

Astigmatism is not the same as myopia. Myopia is caused by an elongated eye, while astigmatism is when your eye is not spherical, but instead shaped more like a football. Also, astigmatism causes blurry vision at all distances while myopia causes just blurry distance vision. That said, it’s common to have both at the same time.

What is presbyopia vs. hyperopia vs. myopia?

Presbyopia is an age-related vision issue that makes it difficult to see things up close clearly. This usually starts to happen to everyone around age 40. Hyperopia and myopia are caused by differently shaped eyes, and is typically present at birth.

Can LASIK fix myopia?

LASIK may safely correct refractive error in adults and potentially eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses,1 however it does not cure myopia. Myopia candidates who undergo LASIK may still be at risk of sight-threatening complications later in life due to the lengthening of the eye that occurred before LASIK. LASIK does not prevent myopia progression, and usually LASIK can only be performed after a myopia candidate has slowed or stopped progression in their prescription. LASIK candidates need to be assessed by an eye care practitioner and the eye prescription and ocular health needs to fit certain parameters for this procedure to correct vision successfully. LASIK is not federally approved for use in children/anybody under the age of 18, and some higher prescriptions may not be candidates for LASIK.2 For more information on LASIK, please see https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/lasik

Footnotes

Consult your eye care professional for more information. Johnson & Johnson does not provide medical advice; this information is for educational purposes only.

References

Kato N, Toda I, Hori-Komai Y, Sakai C, Tsubota K. Five-year outcome of LASIK for myopia. Ophthalmol. 2008 May;115(5):839-844.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2007.07.012. Epub 2007 Sep 27. PMID: 17900692.
Sharma N, Singhvi A, Sinha R, Vajpayee RB. Reasons for not performing LASIK in refractive surgery candidates. J Refract Surg. 2005 Sep-Oct;21(5):496-8. doi: 10.3928/1081-597X-20050901-13. PMID: 16209449.

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