Farsightedness continued

How does farsightedness affect sight?
Our ability to "see" starts when light enters the eye through the cornea. The shape of the cornea, lens and eyeball help bend (refract) light rays in such a manner that light is focused into a point precisely on the retina.

If, as in farsightedness, the eyeball is too short, the "point of light" focuses on a location behind the retina, instead of on the correct area of the retina, known as the fovea. As a result, at the point on the retina where a fine point of light should be focused, there is instead a disk-shaped area of light. Since light is not focused when it hits the retina, vision is blurred.

Convex lenses are prescribed to bend light rays more sharply and bring them to focus on the retina.

Who is affected by farsightedness?
Many people have a degree of farsightedness, yet it is only a problem if it significantly affects our ability to see well or causes headaches or eyestrain.

How is it diagnosed?