What is the difference between refractive error and nearsightedness?

Written by Peng Xi Feng

Ophthalmology

Updated on September 08, 2024

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Myopia is a type of refractive error, which refers to the condition where, when the eye is not adjusting, parallel light rays after passing through the refractive action of the eye, do not form a clear image on the retina, but rather image in front of or behind the retina. This includes hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism. When parallel light rays image in front of the retina after passing through the eye's refractive action, it is called myopia.

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Written by Zheng Xin

Ophthalmology

34sec

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Refractive errors should include:

Refractive errors include myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and anisometropia. Myopia can be divided into refractive myopia and axial myopia. Hyperopia can also be categorized based on the state of accommodation into manifest hyperopia, latent hyperopia, and total hyperopia. Astigmatism is divided into simple hyperopic astigmatism, simple myopic astigmatism, compound myopic astigmatism, compound hyperopic astigmatism, and mixed astigmatism.

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Written by Peng Xi Feng

Ophthalmology

33sec

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What is the difference between refractive error and nearsightedness?

Myopia is a type of refractive error, which refers to the condition where, when the eye is not adjusting, parallel light rays after passing through the refractive action of the eye, do not form a clear image on the retina, but rather image in front of or behind the retina. This includes hyperopia, myopia, and astigmatism. When parallel light rays image in front of the retina after passing through the eye's refractive action, it is called myopia.

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Written by Li Zhen Dong

Ophthalmology

41sec

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What glasses should be worn for refractive errors?

Refractive errors include myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, astigmatism, and amblyopia. If it is myopia, concave lenses should be used; convex lenses are used for hyperopia; astigmatism requires cylindrical lenses. If it is strabismus, the appropriate prism should be used. In the case of amblyopia, pupil dilation, optometry, and fitting glasses should be performed, along with active amblyopia treatment. When these conditions occur, proper eye care should be maintained, including adequate rest, reducing close-up activities, avoiding eye strain, regularly revisiting the doctor, and frequent checks and corrections for vision are necessary.

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Written by Wang Fang

Ophthalmology

1min 14sec

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Do you need to wear glasses for refractive errors?

First, it should be clarified that true refractive errors must be corrected with glasses. Refractive errors in clinical practice are divided into pseudo-refractive errors and true refractive errors. Pseudo-refractive errors generally occur in preschool children and children in the early years of school. When a decline in vision occurs, parents should take their children to the hospital for a medical optometry examination. After pupil dilation, a comprehensive optometry examination can determine whether the child has a pseudo-refractive error or a true refractive error. If it is a pseudo-refractive error, it can be improved through more rest, more outdoor activities, and various physiotherapy methods to alleviate visual fatigue, thereby improving vision. However, once it is diagnosed as a true refractive error, appropriate strength glasses should be promptly prescribed for the child to correct the vision. Because if true refractive errors are not corrected, visual fatigue will persist and continue to worsen, which will cause the child's prescription to continuously increase.

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Written by Deng Jiang Tao

Ophthalmology

36sec

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How is refractive error treated?

Refractive errors come in several types, commonly including myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism. Generally, these are the four main categories. Regardless of the type, the treatment methods for refractive errors typically involve the following: one method is wearing frame glasses to improve or maintain good vision. Another method is using contact lenses to achieve good vision. Lastly, corrective surgery, such as LASIK, can be performed to correct the vision permanently. These are the three basic approaches.