Refractive Errors

Refractive errors are common vision problems, including short-sightedness (myopia), long-sightedness (hyperopia), and astigmatism, in which the shape of the eye prevents light from focusing correctly on the retina, causing blurred vision.

• Blurred vision at distance (short-sightedness/myopia), up close (long-sightedness/hyperopia), or at all distances with distortion (astigmatism)
• Squinting to see clearly
• Headaches, particularly after visual tasks such as reading or screen use
• Eye strain or fatigue
• In children: difficulty seeing the board at school, or holding reading material unusually close to or far from the face

• Results from the shape of the eyeball, cornea, or lens preventing light from focusing precisely on the retina.
• Can be present from childhood or develop or change with age, such as the common age-related difficulty with near vision (presbyopia) that develops in most people from around their forties.
• Family history of refractive errors increases likelihood, though the exact cause of an individual's specific refractive error is often not identifiable.

• Diagnosed through a vision test, checking how clearly a person can see at different distances, along with a refraction test performed by an eye care provider to determine the specific type and degree of correction needed.
• Assessment in children is particularly important, as uncorrected refractive errors can affect learning and, if severe and untreated in one eye during early childhood, can lead to permanently reduced vision in that eye (amblyopia).

Glasses or contact lenses, prescribed based on the refraction test, correct most refractive errors effectively and are the standard first-line treatment.

Regular eye examinations help ensure the prescription remains accurate, as refractive errors can change over time, particularly during childhood and again in later adulthood.

For some adults, surgical correction of refractive errors may be considered at specialist level as an alternative to glasses or contact lenses, depending on individual circumstances and availability.

Children found to have a significant refractive error, particularly if affecting one eye more than the other, need prompt correction and follow-up to support normal visual development.

• Attend regular eye examinations, particularly for children starting school and for adults from middle age onward.
• Seek assessment for headaches, eye strain, or squinting, which can indicate an uncorrected refractive error.
• Ensure children with known or suspected vision problems are assessed promptly, given the importance of early correction for visual development.
• Update glasses or contact lens prescriptions as advised, since an outdated prescription can cause ongoing eye strain.