If your vision isn't as sharp as it should be, it's usually one of four common, correctable focusing problems, what optometrists call refractive errors, rather than a sign of disease. Here's a straightforward guide to myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia, and how each is corrected.
Myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia, together known as refractive errors, account for almost all cases of blurry vision. Click through to any one below for a clear, no-jargon explanation of what it is, why it causes blur, and how it's corrected. If you're not sure which applies to you, a comprehensive eye examination is always the best first step.
Blurry distance vision caused by an eye that's slightly too long. The most common refractive error in children and young adults, and the only one that can progress with age, making early management important.
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Long-sightedness caused by an eye that's slightly too short. Less talked about than myopia, but just as common, and important to catch early in children as it can affect visual development.
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An unevenly curved eye that focuses light at more than one point rather than one, causing streaked or distorted vision. Sounds alarming, but it's extremely common and very correctable.
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The gradual, universal loss of near focusing ability that comes with age. Usually noticed as reading glasses become necessary from the mid-40s onwards, regardless of your other refractive errors.
Read MoreIf your vision isn't as sharp as it should be and you're not sure why, a comprehensive eye assessment is the best way to get a clear, accurate answer and talk through the correction options that suit you.