If you have a refractive error, this means that the shape of your eye is preventing your eye from refracting or bending the light properly. 

This results in your seeing an image that is blurred. Focusing problems of the eye, which require correction by glasses or contact lenses, are called refractive errors. For a person to see clearly, light rays entering the eyes must be bent or refracted by the cornea and the lens so that they can come into focus on the retina. The retina is the light-sensing layer of the back of our eye that receives the picture formed by these light rays and sends this image to the visual centre of our brain by way of the optic nerve.

There are four different types of refractive error:

Myopia

Myopia or near-sightedness, is the most common refractive error of the eye, and it has become more prevalent in recent years. Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long, or the cornea and/or lens is too curved. Myopia typically begins in childhood and you may have a higher risk if your parents are near-sighted. In most cases, near-sightedness stabilizes in early adulthood but sometimes it continues to progress with age.

Common Symptoms Are:

• Difficulty seeing distant objects clearly but will be able to see well for close-up tasks such as reading and computer use. 
• Squinting, eye strain and headaches. 
• Feeling fatigued when driving or playing sports

Hyperopia

People with hyperopia, also known as farsighted-ness, can see distant objects very well but have difficulty focusing on objects that are up close. Farsighted people sometimes have headaches or eye strain and may squint or feel fatigued when performing work at close range. Many children are born with hyperopia, and some of them “outgrow” it as the eyeball lengthens with normal growth. 

Astigmatism

Astigmatism might be the most misunderstood vision problem. In an eye with astigmatism, light fails to come to a single focus on the retina to produce clear vision. Instead, multiple focus points occur, either in front of or behind the retina (or both). Read more about astigmatism here.

Presbyopia

Presbyopia is a natural part of aging where the eyes lose their ability to focus on near objects. The natural lens inside the eye starts to become more rigid and gradually loses the ability to adjust focus.

Correction of Refractive Errors

Correction of refractive errors can be achieved by prescription glasses, contact lenses or by refractive surgery – all of these are offered at Angel Eyes.

1. Glasses and contact lenses:
   • Glasses: The most common and simplest way to correct refractive error. Prescription lenses compensate for the irregular shape of the cornea or lens.
   • Contact Lenses: Contact lenses are specifically designed to correct refractive error by adjusting the way light enters the eye.
2. Excimer Laser eye surgery:
   • LASIK (Laser-Assisted in Situ Keratomileusis): This popular procedure reshapes the cornea using a laser, correcting the refractive error and providing clear vision.
   • TransPRK (Trans Epithelial Photorefractive Keratectomy): This an alternative laser procedure that is suitable for patients with thinner corneas or those not ideal candidates for LASIK.
3. CLEAR laser eye surgery :
   • CLEAR (Cornea Lenticule Extraction for Advanced Refractive-Correction) is the latest form of laser surgery that provides excellent results with a smaller incision than LASIK. This is the enhanced version of the Small Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) procedure.
4. Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL / Phakic IOL):
   • Implantable contact lenses (ICL) offer highly effective vision correction and is suitable for patients with a very wide range of prescriptions. The soft, flexible implants are similar to traditional contact lenses. They are implanted within the eye between the natural lens and the iris. This is a reversible procedure.
5. Refractive Lens Exchange:
   • This involves replacing the natural lens inside the eye with a synthetic implant called an intraocular lens. Refractive lens surgery and cataract surgery are exactly the same operation. When cataract surgery is performed primarily to correct the need for glasses, it is called RLE or lens replacement surgery.

Common questions

• Can eye exercises help correct refractive error?

There is insufficient scientific evidence that eye exercises, vitamins or pills can prevent or cure refractive errors. 

• Who is a good candidate for refractive surgery?

For those who find glasses or contacts a major inconvenience in their active lifestyle, they may consider refractive surgery as an option to correct or improve vision. Refractive surgical procedures are used to adjust your eye’s focusing ability by either reshaping the cornea or changing the eye’s refractive ability through the use of a lens that is placed inside the eye.