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Refractive [ri-FRAK-tiv] errors occur when your cornea, which is the part of your eye that helps you focus light, doesn’t work the right way.
The four most common types of refractive errors are:
Other eye conditions can be related to refractive errors, such as:
General symptoms of refractive errors may include:
The cause of the refractive errors depends on the specific eye problem you have.
Refractive errors can usually be diagnosed with an eye exam. In an eye exam, an eye doctor will look at your eyes and give you eye tests to check for refractive errors. The doctor may also dilate your eyes, which enlarges your pupils and makes it easier to see if there are any refractive errors present in your eye.
If you notice any of the symptoms of refractive errors, especially a loss or clouding of vision, you should contact your eye doctor.
Refractive errors can be treated using:
If refractive errors are caught early in life, they can be easier to correct. If your child has a hard time seeing, take them to the eye doctor for an eye exam.
It’s hard to know for sure if your eyes are working as they should, and many refractive errors can’t be diagnosed on your own. The best way to be sure is to talk to an eye doctor and get an eye exam.