What is the difference between refractive error and nearsightedness?

Written by Peng Xi Feng

Ophthalmology

Updated on September 08, 2024

00:00

00:00

Myopia is a type of refractive error, which refers to the condition where, when the eye is not adjusting, parallel light rays after passing through the refractive action of the eye, do not form a clear image on the retina, but rather image in front of or behind the retina. This includes hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism. When parallel light rays image in front of the retina after passing through the eye's refractive action, it is called myopia.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Hu Shu Fang

Ophthalmology

57sec

home-news-image

Is refractive error in children a serious issue?

Refractive errors in children should catch the attention of parents. Some minor refractive errors may not affect a child's vision or visual development, but as they grow older and their studies become more demanding, if these errors are not corrected at the appropriate time, the myopia in some children can deepen quickly. If some children are hyperopic, a high degree of hyperopia can affect their visual development, causing strabismus and amblyopia. Some children with low degrees of astigmatism, which do not affect visual development, can just have regular check-ups. However, for high degrees of astigmatism, if a child cannot correct their vision to the best possible level or to the level of normal children their age, glasses should be prescribed to improve their vision.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Fang

Ophthalmology

1min 14sec

home-news-image

Do you need to wear glasses for refractive errors?

First, it should be clarified that true refractive errors must be corrected with glasses. Refractive errors in clinical practice are divided into pseudo-refractive errors and true refractive errors. Pseudo-refractive errors generally occur in preschool children and children in the early years of school. When a decline in vision occurs, parents should take their children to the hospital for a medical optometry examination. After pupil dilation, a comprehensive optometry examination can determine whether the child has a pseudo-refractive error or a true refractive error. If it is a pseudo-refractive error, it can be improved through more rest, more outdoor activities, and various physiotherapy methods to alleviate visual fatigue, thereby improving vision. However, once it is diagnosed as a true refractive error, appropriate strength glasses should be promptly prescribed for the child to correct the vision. Because if true refractive errors are not corrected, visual fatigue will persist and continue to worsen, which will cause the child's prescription to continuously increase.

home-news-image

Written by Li Zhen Dong

Ophthalmology

41sec

home-news-image

What glasses should be worn for refractive errors?

Refractive errors include myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, and amblyopia. If it is myopia, concave lenses should be used; convex lenses are used for hyperopia; astigmatism requires cylindrical lenses. If it is strabismus, the appropriate prism should be used. In the case of amblyopia, pupil dilation, optometry, and fitting glasses should be performed, along with active amblyopia treatment. When these conditions occur, proper eye care should be maintained, including adequate rest, reducing close-up activities, avoiding eye strain, regularly revisiting the doctor, and frequent checks and corrections for vision are necessary.

home-news-image

Written by Wang Fang

Ophthalmology

1min

home-news-image

Refractive amblyopia can be cured

Refractive amblyopia, most cases can be cured. Most refractive amblyopia is associated with hyperopia, accompanied by amblyopia, caused by abnormal fetal development in the womb, and the specific cause is unknown. If amblyopia in children can be detected between the ages of three to five and treated in a timely manner, most cases can be cured with a good prognosis. Treatment before the age of eight has better outcomes; treatment between 8-12 years old is less effective; there is no way to treat after age 12. The principle of treating amblyopic children is based on medical optometric prescription combined with effective amblyopia training, which primarily includes threading beads, puzzles, or using amblyopia treatment devices, etc. After amblyopia is cured, follow-up is required for three years to prevent recurrence.

home-news-image

Written by Zheng Xin

Ophthalmology

39sec

home-news-image

How to correct refractive errors

Refractive errors include myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia. The correction of myopia can be achieved using appropriate concave lenses, while hyperopia requires suitable convex lenses for correction. The correction of astigmatism depends on the degree and axis differences, so it is necessary to use lenses with the appropriate degree and axis for correction. Anisometropia, due to the significant difference in the degree between the two eyes, requires consideration of the sufficient degree and the correction of the magnification rate of the retinal image during correction.