Woman Reveals How Near and Farsighted People See the World: 'Fascinating'

A woman has shared what it's like to be nearsighted and farsighted in two viral TikTok videos that have wowed the internet.

TikTok user Hunter Emond—who uses the handle hunteremond—shared how nearsighted people see the world in a video posted on February 16 that has had more than 2 million views. Nearsightedness – also known as myopia – is a common condition which means objects nearby are clear, but objects further away will appear blurry.

In another video, that has had more than 420,000 views since it was shared on February 19, Emond shows how farsighted vision alters a person's view, showing first the way vision is impacted in a long corridor and then when looking at words written on a page or computer.

"This is so fascinating," wrote one commenter on the videos.

Farsightedness – sometimes called Hyperopia – is a common visual condition that means you can see distant objects clearly but objects nearby are blurry. People with severe farsightedness may only be able to clearly see objects a great distance away.

The National Eye Institute says that farsightedness can affect both children and adults, and impacts 5 to 10 percent of Americans. Nearsightedness is reported to affect around 25 percent of Americans and is most often diagnosed in children between 8 and 12 years of age.

Optometrist and spokesperson for the Association of Optometrists, Henry Leonard told Newsweek: "In childhood, the eyes can usually overcome small or moderate amounts of hypermetropia, but if left uncorrected objects will tend to appear blurry, especially up close and may lead to headaches and eye strain, particularly in adults."

Internet users have been wowed by the visual example. One commenter on the farsighted video said: "This is so crazy to me how they can see far but not close. How!"

"Add to favorites to show people every time they ask me, lol," wrote another TikToker.

"I'm farsighted and have such a hard time explaining that I see everything perfectly fine without reading glasses except reading," wrote another commenter.

"This is literally me," said another.

Leonard explained: "The video demonstrates that people with hypermetropia will see better in the distance than up close, but doesn't fully explain that the effect will depend on the amount of hypermetropia and the age of the person."

Luckily there are multiple ways to fix both nearsightedness and farsightedness. Most common for farsightedness is the use of eyeglasses or contact lenses that can easily correct vision while they are worn, but it is also possible to correct farsightedness with refractive surgery. Corrective surgery uses a laser to change the shape of the cornea, adjusting the eye's ability to focus and improving the condition.

For nearsightedness, eyeglasses, contact lenses and refractive surgery are also options. With nearsightedness, there are additional treatment options including temporary corneal refractive contact lenses or even an intraocular lens implant in which an ophthalmologist surgically inserts a new lens in your eye, replacing your natural one.

One commenter on the videos wrote: "I was actually shocked how clear people see the first time I put on glasses," while another person said: "This is exactly how I see without glasses."

Alongside each video Emond writes: "Make sure to get your eyes examined every year," urging TikTok users to ensure they are taking care of their eyesight.

Newsweek has reached out to Hunter Emond for comment.