Common Conditions
Myopia
Myopia or “nearsightedness” occurs when the cornea is too curved or the eye is too long. This causes light to focus in front of the retina, resulting in blurry distance vision. Myopia is a hereditary condition that is very common. It normally starts to appear between the ages of eight and twelve years old, and almost always before the age of twenty. As the body ages, the condition often worsens. Myopia typically stabilizes in adulthood.
Nearsighted and farsighted individuals can contact our Boston and Quincy, Massachusetts-area practice for more information on vision disorders. Nielsen Eye Center also offers treatment for astigmatism and other vision conditions.
Symptoms of Myopia
Blurry distance vision.
Diagnosing Myopia
Myopia may be detected in a child by observing their difficulty in seeing the television, chalkboard or during a school eye screening. To properly detect myopia, it is recommended you have your child’s eyes examined routinely by an optometrist.
Treating Myopia
If you or your child has myopia, glasses and contact lenses may be used for temporary treatment. There are also several procedures such as LASIK preformed at The Nielsen Eye Center that can surgically reduce or eliminate myopia.
*To schedule your routine eye exam or free LASIK consultation at The Nielsen Eye Center, please call 617-401-8542 today
Farsightedness
Hyperopia or “farsightedness” occurs when the cornea is too flat, causing light to focus at a point beyond the retina. This results in blurry near vision. Occasionally, blurry distance vision will occur as well when suffering from farsightedness. Because the young eye can compensate for this condition, it may not be detected until later in life.
Symptoms of Hyperopia
Blurry near vision and occasional blurry distance vision.
Diagnosing Hyperopia
A complete eye exam is necessary to diagnose hyperopia. Since these tests are not offered at school, you should have your child’s eyes examined routinely by an optometrist. The professionals at The Nielsen Eye Center can conduct a refractive evaluation to determine whether your eyes focus light rays exactly on the retina at distance and near. A visual acuity test will determine your ability to see sharply and clearly at all distances. During your examination, we will also check your eye coordination and muscle control, as well as your eyes’ ability to change focus. All of these are important factors in how your eyes see.
Treating Hyperopia
If you or your child has hyperopia, glasses and contact lenses may be used for temporary treatment. There are also several procedures such as LASIK preformed at The Nielsen Eye Center that can surgically reduce or eliminate hyperopia.
*To schedule your routine eye exam or free LASIK consultation at The Nielsen Eye Center, please call 617-401-8542 today.
Presbyopia
With normal vision, we can focus on objects very close to our face as well as those very far away. We also have the luxury of changing our focus easily from near to far. However, as we age, this becomes increasingly difficult. And by the time we reach our forties, we may need glasses or even bifocals to read or to focus on objects close-up. This condition is called presbyopia.
In its early stages, presbyopia may go unnoticed. It is only when the loss of elasticity impairs vision to a noticeable degree, is when the change is recognized.
Symptoms of Presbyopia
- Blurry vision that starts after the age of 40.
- Difficulty adjusting focus when switching from near to distance vision.
- Eyes that tire easily.
- Headaches when doing close-up work.
All comprehensive examinations at The Nielsen Eye Center will include testing for presbyopia. Our doctors can conduct a refractive evaluation to determine whether your eyes focus light rays exactly on the retina at distance and near. A visual acuity test will determine your ability to see sharply and clearly at all distances. We will also check your eye coordination and muscle control, as well as your eyes’ ability to change focus. All of these are important factors in how your eyes see.
Treating Presbyopia
Reading glasses and contact lenses are used by many patients for temporary treatment of presbyopia. However, there are a number of vision correction procedures such as monovision LASIK performed at The Nielsen Eye Center that can surgically reduce or eliminate the effects of presbyopia.
*To schedule your routine eye exam or free Monovision LASIK consultation at The Nielsen Eye Center, please call 617-401-8542 today.
Astigmatism
Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is shaped like a football (more curved in one direction than the other) and often occurs in combination with myopia (nearsightedness) and hyperopia (farsightedness). This causes light to focus in more than one point on the retina, resulting in blurry and distorted vision.
Symptoms of Astigmatism
- Blurry and distorted vision at all distances.
- Difficulty adjusting your focus when switching from near to distance vision.
If you or your child suffers from astigmatism, glasses and contact lenses may be used for temporary treatment. There are also several procedures such as LASIK performed at The Nielsen Eye Center that can surgically reduce or eliminate astigmatism.
*To schedule your routine eye exam or free LASIK consultation at The Nielsen Eye Center, please call 617-401-8542 today.Please Rush me my free Nielsen Eye Center Information Kit