Long and Short Sightedness Surgery Ireland

Eye Functions

The cornea and lens of the eye focus light, like a camera to form an image on the retina at the back of the eye. Light enters into the eye firstly through the cornea at the front of the eye, providing about two thirds of the eye's focussing power.

Refractive Errors
When the shape of the cornea and the eye are not perfect, the image on the retina is blurred or distorted. These imperfections are called refractive errors.



Short Sight or Myopia
This is due to the cornea being too steeply curved or the eye is longer than usual. Therefore light rays fall in front of the retina resulting in blurred distance vision.






Longsight or Hyperopia
Longsight occurs if the cornea is too flat or the eye is too short, therfore light rays focus on a point behind the retina causing near vision to become blurred.







Astigmatism
Astigmatism is caused by the cornea being shaped rather like a rugby ball, instead of being spherical. This produces two different focal points, which can blur images at all distances.