Hyeropia+&+Laser+Eye+Surgery

toc Hyperopia & Laser Eye Surgery
By: Kelsey Hickey

What is Hyperopia?

 * Hyperopia** is where the eye becomes too short from the front to back which causes images to focus behind the **retina** instead of directly on it. Because of this, objects that are close up become blurry and difficult to focus on. It affects about one forth of the population. Contacts and glasses will correct hyperopia and when they are worn, it will clear up the vision. As you can see with this image, people with normal vision and Hyperopia are much different. With the normal vision eye, the **cornea** is more rounder which directs light rays into the eye and helps focus them on the retina at the back of the eye. The focal point is on the retina. This creates sharp and clear vision. However with hyperopia, the cornea is flatter and the focal point is behind the eye. This is what causes people to see far away but not close up.

Symptoms and Causes of Hyperopia
Hyperopia could also be known as **farsightedness**. People with Hyperopia can see far away, but not close up. It occurs when your eyeball is too short or cornea has too little curvature causing the light entering your eye to focus incorrectly. Some of the symptoms are: Most cases of Hyperopia can not be diagnosed without having an eye exam so it is reccomended to have regular checkups. The symptoms of Hyperopia will likely get worse as you get older. It is caused when the eye is too short from front to back. The cornea is flatter than normal and the natural lens is located too far behind the cornea making close up images harder for your eyes to produce.
 * Blurred vision of close objects
 * Eye Strain
 * Aching eyes
 * Headaches

Hyperopia can be treated by glasses, **contacts** and laser eye surgery.

Types of Laser Eye Surgery
__PRK__- removes the **epithelium**. A laser beam vaporizes tiny amounts of tissue under the surface of the cornea. It reshapes the cornea to correct vision. __LASIK__- The surgeon cuts a flap in the cornea using a laser and then it gets lifted using a computer-guided laser to remove tissue from inside the cornea. Then the flap is put back and will be healed. __LASEK__- The surgeon cuts the epithelium with a fine blade, uses alcohol to loosen it and then lifts it in a single layer. The laser beam is directed at the tissue under the epithelium and then it is put back into place. __Epi-LASEK__- modified LASEK procedure where the epithelium is removed with a mechanical device using a blunt, rather than a sharp blade.

After LASIK Eye Surgery:

Laser Eye Surgery for Hyperopia
It is the most common procedure to correct vision problems like hyperopia. When laser eye surgery is done, a surgeon uses a laser device to make permenant changes to the shape of the cornea. The Excimer is the most common laser used in eye surgery, it produces a beam of ultraviolet light to vaporize the tissue. This surgically ulters the shape of the cornea and corrects the eye sight of people who have hyperopia.

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Laser Eye Surgery Risks
Some risks of laser eye surgery include:
 * pain
 * hazy vision during the healing process
 * dry eyes
 * poor quality of night vision
 * corneal ectasia which is weakening and bulging of the cornea

How to minimize risks:
 * Chose your surgeon carefully
 * Discuss your risks, benefits and expectations with your surgeon
 * participate in the follow-up care after your procedure recommended by the surgeon

Although laser eye surgery is good and will fix your vision, you may not be a candidate it. There are some requirements that have to be met to consider laser eye surgery. Laser eye surgery is very beneficial but it does have some risks. Ask your optometrist before undergoing laser eye surgery to see if you are fit for the job.
 * you must be at least 18 years old
 * you should not be pregnant or nursing
 * you should not be taking a certain amount of prescription drugs
 * your vision must be stable for at least a year
 * you should be in good health
 * you should have no infection or injury within the past year
 * you cannot have scarring on the cornea
 * you cannot have dry eye syndrome

Society
Hyperopia and laser eye surgery relates to society because people that have vision problems like hyperopia are turning to laser eye surgeries to correct their vision. Some people do not want to wear contacts or glasses for the rest of their life so they can get laser eye surgery to fix it. Occupations like a police officer or pilot have specific vision requirements that can be achieved by laser eye surgery.

Glossary

 * Term || Definition ||
 * < **Hyperopia** || An abnormal condition of the eye in which vision is better for distant objects than for near objects. It results from the eyeball being too short for light rays to properly focus on the retina, thus forming a blurred image. Also called //farsightedness// **,**//hypermetropia// **.** ||
 * **Farsightedness** || Seeing objects at a distance more clearly than those near athand; hyperopic. ||
 * **Cornea** || The transparent anterior part of the external coat of the eye covering the iris and the pupil and continuous with the sclera. ||
 * **Retina** || The innermost coat of the posterior part of the eyeball that receives the image produced by the lens, is continuous with the optic nerve and consists of several layers, one of which contains the  rods and cones that are sensitive to light. ||
 * **Epithelium** || Outer layer of cornea ||
 * **Contacts** || a thin curved glass or plastic lens designed to fit over the cornea in order to correct vision or to deliver medication ||
 * Laser Eye Surgery || Procedure done with lasers to correct eye vision problems ||