Definition & Meaning of "longsightedness"

What is "longsightedness"?

Longsightedness, also known as hyperopia or farsightedness, is a vision condition where distant objects can be seen more clearly than nearby objects. This occurs because the eyeball is shorter than normal or the cornea, the transparent outer layer of the eye, is not curved enough, causing light rays to focus behind the retina, the layer that converts light into neural signals to send to the brain, instead of directly on it. People with longsightedness may have difficulty focusing on close-up objects, such as reading or using a computer, but can see distant objects well. This condition can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery to improve near vision clarity.