What is "hyperopia"

Hypermetropia \Hy`per*me*tro"pi*a\, Hypermetropy \Hy`per*met"ro*py\, n. [NL. hypermetropia, fr. Gr. ? excessive + ?, ?, the eye. See Hypermeter.] An abnormal condition of the eye in which, through shortness of the eyeball or fault of the refractive media, the rays of light come to a focus behind the retina, making vision for distant objects better than for near objects; farsightedness; -- now most commonly called hyperopia. Cf. Emmetropia.

Syn: hyperopia, farsightedness, longsightedness.

Note: In hypermetropia, vision for distant objects, although not better absolutely, is better than that for near objects, and hence, the individual is said to be farsighted. It is corrected by the use of convex glasses. -- Hy`per*me*trop"ic, a.

Ametropia \Am`e*tro"pi*a\, n. [Gr. ? irregular + ?, ?, eye.] (Med.) a visual impairment resulting from faulty refraction of light rays in the eye. Subtypes include myopia astigmatism and hyperopia. -- Am`e*trop"ic, a.

1884, Modern Latin, from hyper- + Greek ops "eye" (see eye).

n. (context pathology English) A disorder of the vision where the eye focusses images behind the retina instead of on it, so that distant objects can be seen better than near objects.

n. abnormal condition in which vision for distant objects is better than for near objects [syn: hypermetropia, hypermetropy, farsightedness, longsightedness] [ant: myopia]