A variety of common eye refractive errors

Definition

What is an eye refractive error?

An eye refraction disorder is a visual disorder that occurs when the eye cannot see an object clearly. This can happen when looking at objects near, far, or both.

Eye refraction itself is the process of entering light from the front of the eye (cornea, pupil, retina) to be refracted right on the retina (back of the eye). That way, objects can be seen clearly.

The symptoms are often characterized by a blurred vision. However, this condition is not an eye disease, but rather a focus disorder in the eye.

There are 4 types of the most common refractive errors, usually known as myopic eye disorders, namely:

• Miopi (nearsightedness): difficulty seeing objects far away clearly.
• Hypermetropy (farsightedness): difficulty seeing objects at close range clearly.
• Astigmatism (cylinder eye): a condition of vision that is distorted so that objects appear blurry or shaded.
• Presbyopia (old eye): decreased vision that occurs in old age, making it difficult for the eye to focus on seeing objects at close range.

Generally, people who have this vision disorder will use glasses to improve their vision.

How common is this condition?

This condition is very common. According to WHO, it is estimated that around 153 million people worldwide have eye disorders due to refractive errors.

However, the number may be greater because many sufferers do not experience significant visual impairment. They can still live a normal life without any visual aids.

If severe refractive errors are allowed, this condition can interfere with development and reduce vision function.

Signs and Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of an eye refractive error?

There are various signs and symptoms of an eye refractive error, but the most common is not being able to see objects clearly.

Some common signs and symptoms of refractive errors include:

• Blurry or ghosting of eyesight
• Often squinting to see objects clearly
• Difficulty focusing when reading books, watching TV, and looking at a computer screen or gadget
• The eyes seemed obscured by fog
• Eyes sensitive or glare to lighting that is too bright
• Eyes glare or see halos around bright light
• Headache
• Eyes are strained

When should I see a doctor?

Treatment early can prevent vision problems from getting worse. Therefore, consult your doctor to do a vision test eye refraction test if you often complain of signs and symptoms of eye disorders as above.

Cause

What causes eye refraction?

Normally, to be able to see clearly, the light that is caught by the eye from around the object you see will be refracted and fall right in front of the retina. The retina is a light sensitive tissue that sends light signals to be processed in the brain, so you can recognize the objects you see.

Now, any kind of refractive error (myopia, hypermetropy, astigmatism, presbyopia) occurs when the light from the object seen by the eye does not fall directly in front of the retina — it can be in front of or behind the retina. As a result, the object you see becomes unclear or in focus.

According to the National Institute of Health, eye refraction disorders can be caused by various things, such as:

• The length or shape of the eyeballs such as the eyeballs that are too long or short
• The curvature of the cornea is the outermost layer at the front of the eye
• The function of the eye lens has decreased due to increasing age

Risk factors

What makes me more at risk for eye refractive errors?

Anyone can actually experience refractive errors. However, there are several risk factors that cause your vision problems, namely:

• Genetics or heredity
  Having a family member who has myopic eyes increases your risk of experiencing the same thing.
• Age
  Most cases of nearsightedness begin as a child. While presbyopia is a vision disorder that generally affects people aged 40 years or more.
• Eye disease or other genetic disorders
  If you have cataracts or glaucoma, complications of other diseases such as diabetes, and genetic disorders of the eye, then you are at risk for refractive errors.

Diagnosis

How do doctors diagnose this condition?

To diagnose eye problems caused by refractive errors, the doctor will perform several eye examinations, such as:

• Visual acuity check
  A visual acuity check, also known as a vision test, is performed using a letter chart or Snellen chart, where you are asked to read out the letters on the chart. The doctor or optician will adjust the reading distance changes so that the condition of the refractive error can be identified.
• Retinoscopy
  In addition, doctors can also find refractive errors through the retinoscopy process. To perform a retinoscopy, the doctor uses a retinoscope to shine a light on the patient's eye. The doctor then tries various lenses while watching the reflection of light in the patient's eye.

Through these two tests, you can get a prescription for glasses or corrective lenses that are right for correcting the eye refractive problem you are experiencing.

Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How to treat eye refractive error?

Treatment for refractive errors aims to improve vision so that the sufferer can see more clearly and prevent the condition from getting worse.

Disorders due to myopia can be corrected with several treatments, namely the use of glasses, contact lenses, and refractive surgery.

• Spectacles
  Glasses are the easiest and safest way to correct refractive errors. The lenses used for nearsightedness are concave or minus lenses. For farsightedness or old eyes, you will use a convex or plus lens. Meanwhile, for the cylindrical eye, the lens used is a cylindrical lens.
• Contact lens
  Contact lenses can provide clearer, broader, and more comfortable vision than eyeglasses. However, contact lenses are not recommended for children who have difficulty using them independently.
• Refractive surgery
  Refractive surgery or surgery aims to permanently improve the shape of the cornea or lens by permanently changing its shape. This change in the shape of the front eye can improve the eye's focus ability to see better. There are various types of refractive surgery for the eye, the most common of which are photo refractive surgery keractomy (PRK) and LASIK.

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies to treat eye refractive errors?

Lifestyle and certain treatments can be done to treat refractive errors while maintaining eye health, such as:

• Control chronic health conditions. Certain conditions such as high blood pressure and complications of diabetes in the eye can cause myopic eye disorders.
• Protect your eyes from the sun.Wear sunglasses that ward off ultraviolet radiation.
• Eat healthy foods for the eyes. Expand to eat fruits and vegetables as well as food and vitamin A and omega 3 fatty acids.
• Get checked out eyes regularly. Routine checkups not only help the doctor detect refractive errors, but also other diseases that may affect the eye