Which condition, known as farsightedness, occurs when the eye is shorter than normal?

Hyperopia, commonly referred to as farsightedness, is a refractive error that occurs when the eyeball is shorter than normal or when the cornea has too little curvature. This physical discrepancy results in light entering the eye being focused behind the retina rather than directly on it, which leads to difficulty seeing nearby objects clearly. Individuals with hyperopia often find that they can see distant objects more clearly than those that are close, which is a defining characteristic of this condition.

In contrast, myopia, or nearsightedness, occurs when the eye is longer than normal, causing light to be focused in front of the retina. Astigmatism is characterized by an irregular shape of the cornea or lens that prevents light rays from focusing evenly on the retina, leading to distorted vision. Lastly, presbyopia is an age-related condition in which the eye loses its ability to focus on close objects due to a gradual stiffening of the lens. Each of these conditions has distinct causes and effects on vision, with hyperopia specifically resulting from a shorter-than-normal eyeball or insufficient corneal curvature.