Overview
Refractive errors — short-sightedness, long-sightedness, astigmatism and age-related reading difficulty — happen when the eye cannot focus light sharply, making vision blurry at distance, near or both. They are the most common cause of poor vision worldwide and are fully corrected with properly prescribed glasses or contact lenses.
Symptoms
- Blurred vision at distance or up close
- Squinting to see clearly
- Headaches after reading or screen work
- Eye strain or tired eyes
- Children sitting too close to the board or TV
- Holding print at arm's length after age 40
Causes & risk factors
- Eye shape focusing light in front of or behind the retina
- Family history
- Natural ageing of the lens (reading difficulty after 40)
- Excessive near work may worsen short-sight in children
Treatment & self-care
An eye test by a qualified optometrist measures the error precisely, and prescribed glasses or contact lenses restore clear vision — roadside or borrowed glasses commonly cause strain and headaches. Children should be tested early, since uncorrected blur affects learning. Adults benefit from a routine eye check every one to two years.
See a doctor urgently if
- A child squinting, sitting close to the board or underperforming at school
- Sudden blurring rather than gradual change
- Blur with pain, redness or halos
- Double vision