Farsightedness (Hyperopia)

In this condition, distance objects are blurred and near objects are even fuzzier. Most farsighted people need corrective lenses to see clearly at all distances.

In the normal eye, light bends through the cornea and lens to focus on the retina. With hyperopia (farsightedness), the eye is shorter (or the cornea is flatter), causing light to focus beyond the retina. The image is therefore out of focus on the retina, and vision is blurred.

To treat farsightedness, the central cornea must be made steeper. This is accomplished by directing the laser beam to remove tissue from around the central cornea.

For farsightedness, the peripheral (outer) surface of the cornea will be treated in such a way with the Excimer laser as to effectively "steepen" the cornea in the central area. In the figure to the right, the cornea is flattened in the yellow shaded area shown.