The headaches you get a lot after working on your computer for a few hours. The eye strain that makes it hard to read. Or maybe it's your young child who is having trouble in school and doesn't want to read. These problems, which don't seem to be related, could all be signs of untreated hyperopia, or farsightedness. This very common vision problem needs to be found early and fixed correctly to keep adults from being uncomfortable and, more seriously, to keep children from losing their vision for good. A Direct Primary Care (DPC) doctor can be a watchful partner for your family, giving you the proactive screening and advice you need to keep your vision safe.
Farsightedness is a common refractive error in which the eye focuses images behind the retina instead of directly on it. It makes it harder to see things up close, but distance vision is usually clear.
Adults may have the following symptoms:
For adults, the symptoms are usually what you'd expect:
Seeing things that are close up is hard.
Eyes that hurt, ache, or burn, especially after reading or using a screen.
Headaches that get worse when you work close up.
Children's symptoms are different and important to notice:
Kids have very strong focusing muscles in their eyes. They can often make their eyes work harder to see clearly, even though they are far-sighted. They might not complain about blurry vision because of this. Instead, a child who is farsighted shows signs of it because they have to work hard all the time to focus:
Pain in the head, squinting, and rubbing their eyes.
Not being interested in or avoiding activities that require close-up work, like reading and drawing.
Some kids may even cross their eyes inward when they try too hard to focus. This is called accommodative esotropia.
Amblyopia ("Lazy Eye") is Dangerous for Kids
If a child's significant farsightedness is not fixed, their brain may start to "ignore" the blurry image from one eye. This can cause amblyopia, which is a permanent loss of vision in that eye that glasses can't fix later in life. To stop this from happening, you need to find it early and fix it.
Warning: DPC doctors don't give out glasses or contact lenses. An optometrist or an ophthalmologist does that job. DPC is very important for proactive screening, early detection, patient education, and coordinating expert care. This is why DPC is the best place for your family's eye care:
Family-wide Vision Screening That Is Always On:
This is the most important thing your DPC doctor does.
Screening on a regular basis that is appropriate for the age: DPC's model of thorough, unhurried well-child checks is the best place to do the vision screening that can catch farsightedness early in children of all ages.
Modern Tech for Kids: Many DPC practices use modern instrument-based screeners (photoscreeners) for toddlers and kids who can't talk yet. These special cameras can find the risk factors for amblyopia, like severe hyperopia, long before a child can read an eye chart.
A "Medical Detective" for Unclear Symptoms:
Your doctor can put the pieces together thanks to DPC's long appointments and ongoing relationship. A DPC doctor who knows the whole person is more likely to think that a child's school problems or an adult's constant headaches could be caused by an underlying vision problem that hasn't been fixed.
A timely and coordinated referral to an eye care professional:
If your DPC doctor finds a possible vision problem, they can help you get a full eye exam and, if necessary, a prescription for corrective lenses from a trusted local optometrist or pediatric ophthalmologist.
Partner in Following: It can be hard to get a young child who needs to wear glasses to keep them on all the time to avoid amblyopia. Your DPC doctor can keep your family motivated and support them as they take this important step.
Case 1: Chloe, who is 3 years old, has her annual DPC physical and her doctor checks her vision with an instrument. The device says that she has a lot of hyperopia in both eyes. The doctor tells Chloe's parents that even though she seems to be able to see well, this is a big risk factor for her to get a lazy eye or crossed eyes. The doctor helps Chloe get a referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who gives her the glasses that will protect her vision for the rest of her life.
Case 2: David, 48, tells his DPC doctor that he gets headaches every day at work. After a thorough exam is normal, the doctor finds out that David hasn't had an eye exam in more than ten years. The doctor sends him to an optometrist because he thinks his headaches are caused by eye strain from not fixing his farsightedness. David gets his first pair of reading glasses, and the headaches he has every day go away.
Q: My child seems to be able to see things just fine from far away. Is it still possible for them to be farsighted?
A: Yes. This is a very important point. Young kids can see clearly both up close and far away by using their strong focusing muscles, but it takes a lot of work all the time. This hidden effort is what makes your eyes hurt, gives you headaches, or even makes your eyes cross.
Q: How can a child being farsighted make their eyes cross?
A: The brain's signal to "focus hard" is connected to the signal to "turn eyes inward" in a way that has to do with the nervous system. If a child is very farsighted and is always trying to see clearly, the "turn eyes inward" signal can get too strong, making one or both eyes cross. A simple pair of glasses breaks this cycle by doing all the hard focusing work for them, which lets the eyes relax and straighten out.
Q: Should I go to my DPC doctor or an eye doctor for a vision check?
A: Your DPC doctor is your family's most important health partner, and one of the most important things they do for your family's health is routine vision screenings. If the screening shows a possible problem or you know you need a formal prescription for glasses or contact lenses, they will send you to an eye care professional (an optometrist or an ophthalmologist) for a full eye exam and refraction.
DPC has a clear advantage for this very common condition because
Being good at proactive screening for people of all ages: The DPC model's focus on ongoing, preventive care for children is the best way to make sure vision problems are found early.
Giving a full picture of health: Finding a possible vision problem that could be causing headaches or problems at school that don't seem to be connected.
Providing care that is well-coordinated and effective: Acting as the main point of contact to make sure you or your child sees the right eye doctor at the right time.
For learning, working, and having fun, you need to be able to see clearly. But sometimes, headaches, eye strain, or a child's frustration with reading are signs of a vision problem, not blurry letters. Direct Primary Care offers careful screening and a caring partnership to keep your family's vision safe and make sure you all see the world as clearly as possible.
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