About Vision > Normal Vision> What is Nearsightedness?> What is Farsightedness? > What is Astigmatism?> Eye Disorders and Diseases> Cataracts> Children's Vision

Farsightedness (or hyperopia) refers to a visual condition of the eye in which far away images appear clear, but near images appear blurred. Farsightedness is normally caused by the curvature of the eye's surface (cornea) being too flat.  Instead of light rays focusing directly on the retina in the back of the eye, the flatter curvature of the cornea causes light rays entering the eye to focus behind the retina. Farsightedness can also be caused by the length of the eye being too short. The flatter the cornea is in relation to the retina, or the shorter the eye is, the greater the degree of farsightedness.