Refractive Errors:
Common Vision Problems
Each of the conditions listed below occur from what is called a refractive error. These are optical flaws that prevent the eye from properly focusing light, causing blurred vision. Depending on the flaw, they can affect your vision differently – resulting in nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia or astigmatism. All of which can be corrected with contact lenses.
What is Nearsightedness?
Nearsightedness, or myopia, causes distant objects to appear out of focus while closer objects still appear clearly.
Symptoms
- Distant objects appear blurry
- Eye strain
- Headaches
- Eye fatigue
Treatment
Most people who are nearsighted can correct their vision with glasses or contact lenses. Of course, you should always talk to your eye doctor about your options. Don’t have an eye doctor? Click to Find An Eye Doctor near you.
What is Farsightedness?
Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is when distant objects appear in focus, but objects up close appear blurry. When there’s a higher amount of hyperopia, both near and distant objects appear blurry. If you’re over 40 and experience this, you may have presbyopia.
Symptoms
- Close objects appear blurry
- Eye strain
- Headaches
- Eye fatigue
Treatment
Most people can correct their farsightedness with glasses or contact lenses. Be sure to discuss your options with your eye doctor. Need an eye doctor? Click to Find An Eye Doctor near you.
What is Presbyopia?
Presbyopia occurs naturally with age. Starting around age 40, many people begin to notice an inability to focus up close. Even nearsighted people will experience blurred vision when wearing their usual eyeglasses or contact lenses.
Symptoms
- Needing readers to see things clearly up close as you age
- Difficulty reading in low light, extending your arm to read, using a giant font size on your phone
- Squinting
- Eye fatigue
Treatment
There are a lot of ways to deal with your aging eyes, and Alcon multifocal contact lenses may be suitable for your needs. Our multifocal contact lenses help you see clearly at all distances, near through far, without the hassle of readers or prescription glasses. Think you have presbyopia but don’t have an eye doctor? Click to Find An Eye Doctor near you.
What is Astigmatism?
Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is shaped like a football, as opposed to spherical like a basketball. This causes fuzzy, blurred vision and can make images appear stretched. Not to worry, it can all be corrected with a toric contact lens.
Symptoms
- Some degree of blurry or distorted vision at all distances
- Eye strain
- Headaches
- Squinting
Treatment
People will often turn to glasses or toric contact lenses to correct astigmatism. We recommend making an appointment with your eye doctor to talk about your options. If you don’t have an eye doctor, click to Find An Eye Doctor near you.
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Important safety information
Ask your eye care professional for complete wear, care and safety information. 
