Patient Education
Simple, plain-English explanations of the eye conditions we're asked about most. This isn't a substitute for an exam — it's a starting point so you know what to ask about.
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Six of the most common vision conditions we diagnose and manage at both our Lancaster and Santa Clarita locations.
Also called a refractive error
Astigmatism happens when the cornea or lens has an irregular, football-like shape instead of being perfectly round. This causes light to focus at more than one point on the retina, which blurs vision at all distances — near and far.
Common signs: blurry or distorted vision, headaches, eye strain, and difficulty seeing clearly at night. It's very common and often occurs alongside nearsightedness or farsightedness.
How it's corrected: Glasses or toric contact lenses are the most common correction. Most people with astigmatism see clearly with the right prescription.
Also called nearsightedness
Myopia occurs when the eyeball is slightly too long, or the cornea is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. The result: distant objects look blurry while close-up objects stay clear.
Common signs: squinting to see street signs or a whiteboard, sitting close to the TV, and headaches from eye strain. It often first appears in school-age children and can progress through the teen years.
How it's corrected: Glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery like LASIK. Regular exams help track changes, especially in kids.
Also called farsightedness
Hyperopia is the opposite of myopia — the eyeball is slightly too short, or the cornea too flat, so light focuses behind the retina. Distance vision is often fine, but close-up tasks like reading can be blurry or tiring.
Common signs: eye strain or headaches after reading or close work, needing to hold reading material farther away, and blurred near vision. Mild hyperopia is common and often goes unnoticed for years because the eye can partially compensate on its own.
How it's corrected: Glasses or contact lenses. An exam can determine whether correction is needed and how much.
Age-related near vision change
Presbyopia is a natural, age-related change where the lens inside the eye gradually loses flexibility, making it harder to focus on close-up objects. It typically becomes noticeable in your early-to-mid 40s and affects nearly everyone eventually.
Common signs: holding your phone or a menu at arm's length to read it, needing brighter light for close work, and eye fatigue by the end of the day.
How it's corrected: Reading glasses, bifocals, progressive lenses, or multifocal contact lenses. It's a normal part of aging, not a disease.
Clouding of the eye's natural lens
A cataract is a clouding of the eye's naturally clear lens, usually developing slowly with age. As the lens clouds, light has a harder time passing through, making vision look blurry, hazy, or faded — like looking through a foggy window.
Common signs: cloudy or blurry vision, increased glare or halos around lights (especially at night), fading or yellowing of colors, and frequent prescription changes.
How it's managed: Early cataracts may just need a stronger glasses prescription. Once they start interfering with daily life, cataract surgery — a common, highly successful outpatient procedure — is usually recommended. We perform the evaluation and post-op follow-up here, in partnership with a local surgical center.
A leading cause of preventable vision loss
Glaucoma is a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve, often related to elevated pressure inside the eye. It usually progresses slowly and painlessly, gradually affecting peripheral (side) vision before central vision — which is why it's often called the "silent thief of sight."
Common signs: In the early stages, there are usually no symptoms at all. That's what makes routine eye pressure checks and optic nerve evaluations so important, especially if glaucoma runs in your family.
How it's managed: There's no cure, but glaucoma can almost always be controlled with eye drops, laser treatment, or surgery if it's caught early — which is why regular comprehensive exams matter, even when your vision feels fine.
This page is for general education only and isn't a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam or personal medical advice. If you're noticing any changes in your vision, the best next step is to have your eyes examined by one of our doctors.
Walk in any day or schedule online at either location. Exams from $85.