What is refractive error?

Written by Hu Shu Fang
Ophthalmology
Updated on August 31, 2024
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Refractive errors in ophthalmology include myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. The optical principle behind these is that parallel light rays, after passing through the optical system of the eyeball, do not focus on the retina, and therefore do not form a clear image. This condition is known as a refractive error. In everyday life, some people mistakenly believe that presbyopia is also a refractive error, but presbyopia is not a refractive error; it is a physiological condition. The common refractive errors are the three types I just mentioned: myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.

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Written by Hu Shu Fang
Ophthalmology
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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.

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Written by Deng Jiang Tao
Ophthalmology
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How is refractive error treated?

Refractive errors come in several types, commonly including myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. Generally, these are the four main categories. Regardless of the type, the treatment methods for refractive errors typically involve the following: one method is wearing frame glasses to improve or maintain good vision. Another method is using contact lenses to achieve good vision. Lastly, corrective surgery, such as LASIK, can be performed to correct the vision permanently. These are the three basic approaches.

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Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
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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.

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Written by Wang Fang
Ophthalmology
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Refractive error refers to an eye disorder.

There are several clinical manifestations of refractive errors, such as myopia, hyperopia, or astigmatism, all of which fall under the category of refractive errors. The normal adult eye axis is approximately 24mm, and patients with refractive errors have eye axis measurements that are greater or less than this value, which prevents images from being clearly presented on the retina. In patients with myopia, images generally appear in front of the retina, while in patients with hyperopia, images typically appear behind the retina. Various types of refractive errors can be corrected by wearing glasses to improve vision, enabling patients to see clearly. Additionally, patients with myopia and astigmatism can also consider laser surgery treatment after reaching adulthood.

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Written by Hu Shu Fang
Ophthalmology
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What is refractive error?

Refractive errors in ophthalmology include myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. The optical principle behind these is that parallel light rays, after passing through the optical system of the eyeball, do not focus on the retina, and therefore do not form a clear image. This condition is known as a refractive error. In everyday life, some people mistakenly believe that presbyopia is also a refractive error, but presbyopia is not a refractive error; it is a physiological condition. The common refractive errors are the three types I just mentioned: myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism.