Skip to main content
Home

Search


NEI on Social Media | Search A-Z | en español | Text size S M L
  • About NEI
    • NEI Research Accomplishments
    • Budget and Congress
    • About the NEI Director
    • History of the NEI
    • NEI 50th Anniversary
    • NEI Women Scientists Advisory Committee (WSAC)
    • Board of Scientific Counselors
    • National Advisory Eye Council (NAEC)
    • Donating to the NEI

    Menu About NEI Block

     Contact Us

     Visiting the NIH Campus

    Mission Statement

    As part of the federal government’s National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Eye Institute’s mission is to “conduct and support research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to blinding eye diseases, visual disorders, mechanisms of visual function, preservation of sight, and the special health problems and requirements of the blind.”

  • News & Events
    • Events Calendar
    • NEI Press Releases
    • News from NEI Grantees
    • Spokesperson bios
    • Statistics and Data
    • Resources for the media

    Pressroom Contacts

    Dustin Hays - Chief, Science Communication
    dustin.hays@nih.gov

    Kathryn DeMott, Media Relations
    Kathryn.DeMott@nih.gov

    NEI Office of Communications
    (301)496-5248

  • Health Information
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Clinical Studies
    • Spanish Language Information
    • Publications Catalog
    • Photos and Images
  • Grants and Funding
    • Extramural Research
    • Division of Extramural Science Programs
    • Division of Extramural Activities

    Extramural Contacts

    National Eye Institute
    Division of Extramural Research
    6700B Rockledge Dr., MSC 6914
    Bethesda, MD 20892
    (FedEx, UPS, and other courier services use: Bethesda MD 20817)
    301-451-2020

  • Research at NEI
    • Office of the Scientific Director
    • Office of the Clinical Director
    • Laboratories, Sections and Units
    • eyeGENE
    • Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications

    Office of the Scientific Director

    Sheldon S. Miller, Ph.D., Scientific Director
    David M. Schneeweis, Ph.D., Deputy Scientific Director

    Office of the Clinical Director

    Brian P. Brooks, M.D, Ph.D., Clinical Director
    Emily Y. Chew, M.D., Deputy Clinical Director

  • Education Programs
    • National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP)
    • Diabetic Eye Disease Education Program
    • Glaucoma Education Program
    • Low Vision Education Program
    • Hispanic/Latino Program
    • Vision and Aging Program
    • African American Program
  • Training and Jobs
    • Jobs
    • NEI Summer Intern Program
    • Diversity In Vision Research & Ophthalmology (DIVRO)
    • Student Training Programs

    To search for current job openings visit HHS USAJobs

Home » Eye Health Information » Refractive Errors
Listen

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors include nearsightedness and farsightedness, eye conditions that are very common. Most people have one or more of them. Refractive errors can usually be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lens.

Facts About Refractive Errors

The most common types of refractive errors are myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism.

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a condition where objects up close appear clearly, while objects far away appear blurry. With myopia, light comes to focus in front of the retina instead of on the retina.

Hyperopia (farsightedness) is a common type of refractive error where distant objects may be seen more clearly than objects that are near. However, people experience hyperopia differently. Some people may not notice any problems with their vision, especially when they are young. For people with significant hyperopia, vision can be blurry for objects at any distance, near or far.

Astigmatism is a condition in which the eye does not focus light evenly onto the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This can cause images to appear blurry and stretched out.

Presbyopia is an age-related condition in which the ability to focus up close becomes more difficult. As the eye ages, the lens can no longer change shape enough to allow the eye to focus close objects clearly.

  • Read more about Facts About Refractive Errors

Refractive Errors News

  • Ten-Year Results on Radial Keratotomy Released 10/13/94

View all Refractive Errors videos

Other Helpful Links

  • Facts About Astigmatism
  • Facts About Hyperopia
  • Facts About Myopia
  • Facts About Presbyopia

Eye Health Resources

  • Eye Health Organizations Database
  • Finding an Eye Care Professional
  • Financial Aid for Eye Care
  • Talking to Your Doctor
  • Facts About Clinical Trials in Vision Research
  • Videocasts on Vision Science and Eye Health, Archive
  • Photo and Image Catalog
  • Information in Spanish (Información en español)

Search for NEI Publications

  • NEI Home
  • Contact Us
  • A-Z Site Map
  • NEI on Social Media
  • Information in Spanish (Información en español)
  • Website, Social Media Policies and Other Important Links
  • NEI Employee Emergency Information
  • NEI Intranet (Employees Only)
  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • The National Institutes of Health
  • USA.gov

*PDF files require the free Adobe® Reader® software for viewing.

Technical questions about this website can be addressed to the NEI Website Manager.