What does hypermetropic mean?
Hypermetropic is an adjective describing farsightedness, or difficulty focusing on nearby objects. A hypermetropic eye typically focuses distant objects more easily than close ones because its optical power is insufficient for the distance being viewed. The condition may result from an eyeball that is shorter than normal or from insufficient focusing power in the eye’s lens. It is distinct from myopia, or nearsightedness, which causes distant objects to appear blurred. In general conversation, “farsighted” and “long-sighted” are more widely understood, while “hypermetropic” is especially common in medical and ophthalmological writing. The term is also used figuratively in the sense of being able to perceive long-term consequences or broader implications more readily than immediate details.
adjectiveHypermetropic means having difficulty seeing nearby objects clearly because the eye focuses distant objects more easily than close ones. The condition is also called farsightedness or hyperopia and can be caused by the eyeball being too short or the lens having insufficient focusing power.
- Relating to or affected by farsightedness, especially difficulty focusing on nearby objects.
"The optician recommended reading glasses for her mild hypermetropic vision."
"His hypermetropic eyes made reading the fine print difficult."
"The condition was described as mild hypermetropic and corrected with glasses."
Hypermetropic comes from roots meaning “over” and “measure,” a fitting reminder that the eye’s focusing power is mismatched to nearby objects.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hypermetropic come from?
Hypermetropic is derived from the Greek roots hyper-, meaning “over” or “excessive,” and a form related to metron, meaning “measure,” together with the suffix -opic, associated with seeing. The underlying medical noun is hypermetropia, coined in the 19th century to describe the condition of seeing distant objects more clearly than nearby ones. The concept follows older English terms such as farsighted and long-sighted and later medical terminology including hyperopia.
Related word forms
How hypermetropic is actually used
Hypermetropic is primarily a medical or ophthalmological term and is more common in British English than everyday American English. Farsighted is more accessible in general use, while presbyopic is more specific to age-related near-vision loss.
Easily confused with hypermetropic
Myopic describes difficulty seeing distant objects clearly, whereas hypermetropic describes difficulty seeing nearby objects clearly.
Presbyopic refers specifically to age-related loss of near focusing ability, while hypermetropic describes farsightedness in general and may occur at any age.
Hyperopic is a common medical synonym for hypermetropic; both describe an eye that focuses distant objects more clearly than nearby ones.