Is long sightedness hereditary?
There is a strong inherited tendency, and the way the eye grows matters as much as eye optics: a shorter-than-average eye is long sighted. A family history does not predict an individual’s prescription, but it is a reason to have children tested rather than to wait for symptoms.
- Subject
- Vision problems
- Topic
- Hyperopia (long sightedness)
- Kind of question
- Other questions
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
What this answer depends on
- Family history in parents and siblings
- The child’s age and growth pattern
- Whether a squint or reduced vision is present
Related guides
People also ask
The questions readers move to next from this one: the closest subjects first, from either question bank.
Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision problems & prescriptions in Hyperopia (long sightedness) . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Condition Hyperopia (long sightedness)
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.
Sources & further reading
We prefer primary sources. Where a claim comes from a manufacturer, a single study or a regulator, it is labelled as such below.
- EyeSmart: eye health information for the public
Patient-facing material from the largest ophthalmology professional body, covering conditions, tests and treatments outside refractive surgery.
Used for Cross-checking patient-facing explanations of non-refractive eye conditions; Describing what tests such as dilation and OCT involve.
Link checked 23 September 2026