Myopia

• This means nearsighted. A person will be able to see up close very well but have poor distance vision

• The length of the eye from anterior to posterior ("axial length")  is longer. This makes the focal point of the light converge before it hits the macula.

• This also makes the angle a lot wider and open.

• Myopic patients can have higher degrees of retinal detachments as this elongation leads to traction on the retina itself!

Hyperopia (AKA Hypermetropia)

• This means farsighted. A person will be able to see far very well, but have poor near vision

• The axial length is shorter and more compressed.  This makes the focal point of the light converge past the retina. 

• This also makes the angle more narrow or closed

• Hyperopic patients are more prone to angle closure attacks!

• This patient is having an angle closure glaucoma attack in OS!!

• Notice the severe redness and the mid- fixed pupil

• Symptoms of an angle closure attack can occur many hours after dilation as it sometimes takes a while for the pressure to build up! Sometimes patient go home after an eye exam, and then develop pain and redness later int he day

• Patients can have pain and redness int he AM because their eyes dilate while they are asleep and wake up with high IOP, but then it decreases as the pupil constricts