Alternative treatments for myopia and hyperopia

• Contact lenses:

  • Thin lens that sit on the surface of the eye
  • Lightweight and almost invisible
  • More convenient than glasses for activities like sports
  • Two main types: hard and soft
  • Soft lenses are more comfortable, but carry a higher risk of eye infections than hard lenses
• Laser eye surgery:

  • Laser can be used to vaporise tissue, changing the shape of the cornea, therefore changing how strongly it refracts light into the eye
  • Slimming it down makes it less powerful and can improve short sight
  • Changing the shape so that its more powerful will improve long sight
• Replacement lens surgery:

  • Sometimes long-sightedness may be more effectively treated by replacing the lens of the eye
  • Natural lens of the eye is removed and an artificial lens, made of clear plastic, is inserted in its place
  • Involves work inside the eye, replacing a lens carries higher risks than laser eye surgery including possible damage to the retina