Hyperopia ("farsighedness")

When a person has hyperopia, they are said to be farsighted. A farsighted person sees better far away than up close. The most common reason for this is when the length of the eyeball (front-to-back) is too short. Light rays coming in will then focus behind their target (the retina).

People with only a minor amount of hyperopia can usually see both far away and up close fine without glasses until presbyopia sets in (usually in one's early 40s). At this point, they may need glasses for both near and far. Hyperopia is corrected using prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses that bend the incoming light to land directly on the retina.