Treatment

The goal of treating farsightedness is to help focus light on the retina through the use of corrective lenses or refractive surgery.

Prescription lenses

In young people, treatment isn't always necessary because the crystalline lenses inside the eyes are flexible enough to compensate for the condition. Depending on the degree of farsightedness, you may need prescription lenses to improve your near vision. This is especially likely as you age and the lenses inside your eyes become less flexible.

Wearing prescription lenses treats farsightedness by counteracting the decreased curvature of your cornea or the smaller size (length) of your eye. Types of prescription lenses include:

• Eyeglasses. This is a simple, safe way to sharpen vision caused by farsightedness. The variety of eyeglass lenses is wide and includes single vision, bifocals, trifocals and progressive multifocals.
• Contact lenses. These lenses are worn right on your eyes. They are available in a variety of materials and designs, including soft and rigid, gas permeable in combination with spherical, toric, multifocal and monovision designs. Ask your eye doctor about the pros and cons of contact lenses and what might be best for you.

Refractive surgery

Although most refractive surgical procedures are used to treat nearsightedness, they can also be used for mild to moderate farsightedness. These surgical treatments correct farsightedness by reshaping the curvature of your cornea. Refractive surgery methods include:

• Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). With this procedure, your eye surgeon makes a thin, hinged flap into your cornea. He or she then uses a laser to adjust the curves of the cornea that corrects the farsightedness. Recovery from LASIK surgery is usually more rapid and causes less discomfort than other corneal surgeries.
• Laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK). The surgeon creates an ultra-thin flap only in the cornea's outer protective cover (epithelium). He or she then uses a laser to reshape the cornea's outer layers, changing its curve, and then replaces the epithelium.
• Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). This procedure is similar to LASEK, except the surgeon completely removes the epithelium, then uses the laser to reshape the cornea. The epithelium is not replaced, but will grow back naturally, conforming to your cornea's new shape.

Talk with your doctor about the possible side effects of refractive surgery.