What is farsightedness?

   Farsightedness is a defect in sight caused by an improper shape of the eyeball. The distance from the front to the back of the eyeball is shorter than normal. Children are usually farsighted at birth. They become less so, and may even become nearsighted, as they get older. In a farsighted person the muscles of accommodation of the eye contract and allow the shape of the lens to become more spherical and correct the defect. However, if a farsighted person engages in close work, the necessary adjustment might produce eye strain. When the condition of farsightedness affects vision and causes eyestrain, it should be corrected with glasses.