Refractive Errors

A refractive error is the most common eye problem. When the shape of the eye is abnormal, the eye doesn't bend (or refract) light properly, and so vision is blurred. These errors can be corrected after being prescribed glasses or contact lenses. Surgery might also be an option.

Follow the links below to find information about refractive errors.

Reviewed January 2009

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13 Resources Found
Results 1 to 13 displayed.
Title:   Eyes - laser eye surgery
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Laser eye surgery or laser corneal sculpting is a medical procedure that involves the use of laser to reshape the surface of the eye. This is done to improve or correct myopia (short-sightedness), hypermetropia (long sightedness) and astigmatism (uneven curvature of the eye's surface).The aim is to restore normal eyesight, without the need for glasses or contact lenses. Some people who have laser eye surgery will still need to wear glasses or contact lenses to achieve optimum vision, although their natural eyesight should be much improved.
Date:   Sep 2009
Title:   Vision - short sightedness
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   Myopia is commonly know as short-sightedness or near-sightedness. It means that the eye is unable to focus the light from objects that are far away, making them seem blurry.
Date:   Mar 2009
Title:   Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) versus laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) for hyperopia correction
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:   Hyperopia (long-sightedness or far-sightedness) is the condition where the relaxed eye brings parallel light to a focus behind the retina instead of on it. In order to correct hyperopia a variety of surgical techniques can be applied including PRK and L...
Date:   Jan 2009
Title:   Vision - short sightedness
Publisher:   Child and Youth Health - CYH (South Australia)
Description:   Myopia is commonly know as short-sightedness or near-sightedness. It means that the eye is unable to focus the light from objects...
Date:   Dec 2008
Title:   Eye problems - long-sightedness
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Long-sightedness or hyperopia is a common condition that affects the ability to focus. Long-sightedness can cause vision problems, headaches and tiredness. Glasses, contact lenses and laser techniques are used to correct long-sightedness.
Date:   Sep 2008
Title:   Headache and eye problems
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Common eye problems that can bring on headache include long-sightedness, astigmatism and hardening of the lens inside the eye. Many difficulties can be corrected with prescription glasses or contact lenses. Once the cause of eyestrain is treated, the associated headaches should ease.
Date:   Sep 2008
Title:   Contact lenses
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Contact lenses can be used instead of glasses to correct some vision problems. They work by helping to focus the light as it hits the back of the eye. Proper care of your contact lenses can help avoid lens and eye damage.
Date:   Aug 2008
Title:   Eye disorders - focusing problems
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   The most common eye disorders are focusing problems, or 'refractive errors'. Main types of refractive errors are myopia (short-sightedness), hyperopia or hypermetropia (long-sightedness), astigmatism and presbyopia. Glasses, contact lenses and laser surgery can be used to correct focusing problems. Most people have some refractive error or focusing problem.
Date:   Jul 2008
Title:   Interventions for unilateral refractive amblyopia
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:   Patching treatment for amblyopia (lazy eye) caused by unequal optical errors in either eye when the (usually) worst eye can fail to develop optimum vision. Amblyopia is a condition where the vision of one (or more rarely both) eyes is reduced because th...
Date:   Jul 2008
Title:   Diabetes and your Eyesight
Publisher:   HealthInsite Topic Page
Description:   Links to information about how diabetes can affect your eyesight.
Date:   Dec 2006
Title:   VISX CustomVue" for hyperopia, hyperopic astigmatism and mixed astigmatism
Publisher:   Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures - Surgical (ASERNIP-S)
Description:   ASERNIP-S has performed a prioritising summary on VISX CustomVue™ for hyperopia, hyperopic astigmatism and mixed astigmatism.
Date:   Dec 2005
Title:   Astigmatism - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Astigmatism is a condition where the front surface of the eye (the cornea) is irregularly shaped and causes the vision to be distorted.
Date:   Oct 2004
Title:   LASIK: laser eye surgery - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   What does it really feel like to have LASIK laser eye surgery? Read Katie`s story to find out.
Date:   Nov 2001
Results 1 to 13 displayed.