Nearsighted means near things are clear and distant things blurred — the name describes what you CAN see, which is the part people get backwards. Farsighted is the reverse: distance is clearer and close work is harder. The technical terms are myopia and hyperopia.
The core difference
Both name a focusing difference, and both are named for what remains clear.
- nearsighted (myopia) — near is clear, far is blurred.
- farsighted (hyperopia) — far is clearer, near is harder.
Why people reverse them
Because the name sounds like a description of the problem rather than of the remaining ability. "Nearsighted" does not mean you struggle to see near — it means near is the range you see well. Reading it as "sighted for near" fixes it.
The related term
Presbyopia is the age-related loss of close focus that affects nearly everyone from middle age. It is not the same as hyperopia, though both make close work harder — which is why someone lifelong nearsighted can still need reading glasses later.
