Diagnosis of Refractive Errors
Refractive errors are common vision disorders caused by the eye's inability to focus light correctly. This condition can lead to blurred vision of distant or near objects, eye strain, and headaches.
Refractive errors can be diagnosed with a simple eye examination and corrected with glasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery. Comprehensive eye examinations to diagnose refractive errors include:
What Are the Types of Refractive Errors?
The eyes are a complex system that captures light rays to create clear images. The perfect functioning of this system depends on the proper refraction and focusing of light rays on the retina.
However, abnormalities in the shape of the eyeball or dysfunction of the lens can prevent light rays from being focused clearly. This condition is called refractive errors. Myopia (Nearsightedness) is characterized by distant objects appearing blurry and near objects appearing clear.
It can be caused by the eyeball being too long or the cornea being too curved. Hyperopia (Farsightedness) is characterized by near objects appearing blurry and distant objects appearing clear.
The eyeball being too short or the cornea not being curved enough can cause hyperopia. Astigmatism is characterized by blurry vision at all distances. Irregular curvature of the cornea or lens can cause astigmatism.
Presbyopia (Age-related farsightedness) is the gradual loss of the ability to see close objects clearly, typically occurring around age 40. The primary cause of presbyopia is the loss of elasticity in the lens. The most common symptoms of refractive errors include:
Treatment of Refractive Errors
Refractive errors can be diagnosed by an eye doctor during a comprehensive eye examination. During the examination, your doctor will test your visual acuity, examine the movement of your eye muscles, and measure the shape of your eyeball.
Refractive errors are usually treated with glasses, contact lenses, or laser surgery. Glasses are lenses placed in front of the eyes to correct refractive errors. They are the most common and least expensive treatment for refractive errors.
Contact lenses are thin plastic lenses placed directly on the cornea of the eye. They can provide a wider field of vision than glasses and may be more comfortable for some people. Laser surgery uses a laser beam to reshape the cornea to correct refractive errors.
Laser surgery can provide clear vision without the need for glasses or contact lenses. The best treatment option for you depends on your age, overall health, lifestyle, and vision needs. Your eye doctor will help you choose the most suitable treatment for you.
While it is not possible to prevent most refractive errors, these treatment methods can help stop or slow their progression.
Refractive Errors and Laser Surgery
The use of glasses and contact lenses has become a part of daily life for many people with refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Laser surgery offers an effective method to correct these errors and eliminate the need for glasses or lenses.
Laser surgery corrects these errors by reshaping the cornea, the transparent front layer of the eye, so that light can be focused on the correct spot on the retina, providing clear vision. Different laser surgery methods are available, with the most common being LASIK, PRK, and LASEK.
The advantages of laser surgery include:
How Much Does the Diagnosis of Refractive Errors Cost?
The cost of diagnosing refractive errors varies depending on the underlying cause and the procedures to be performed. The treatment plan created by our specialist eye doctor after a detailed examination may vary from person to person.
For an appointment and price information, please click here.The above information is for informational purposes only. If you have any medical concerns or questions, please make an appointment with our doctors.