The share market has taken a real beating in recent weeks, with billions of dollars wiped off the ASX.

While market downturns can be troubling, history shows they often present the best opportunities for long-term investors.

Right now, many quality ASX shares—particularly in the tech sector—are trading at a deep discount to where they were just weeks ago.

For patient investors, this could be the perfect time to buy.

An opportunity to buy quality ASX shares at a discount

Market corrections tend to be driven by fear rather than fundamentals. Investors rush for the exits, selling indiscriminately and pushing share prices lower across the board. But while sentiment can change rapidly, it is worth remembering that the underlying quality of a business does not.

Take some of the best-performing ASX tech shares, for example. Many have been sold off aggressively, even though their long-term growth drivers remain intact. Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, automation, and cybersecurity are still expanding industries, yet the stocks leading these sectors have been hammered.

When investors were paying significantly higher prices for these same businesses just a few weeks ago, it makes little sense to avoid them now—especially when nothing has fundamentally changed about their long term growth potential.

ASX tech shares have been hit the hardest

The technology sector has been one of the worst affected in this latest selloff. Recession fears, global trade concerns, and profit-taking after a strong run have all contributed to the slide.

But history suggests that tech shares tend to rebound the fastest when market conditions improve. The Australian tech sector has been a strong performer over the long run, with companies like WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE), and Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) delivering massive returns for patient investors.

It is also worth noting that these businesses aren't just short-term plays—they are companies that benefit from long-term structural trends. A temporary downturn in their share prices could be seen as an excellent opportunity to pick them up at a discount before the next wave of growth kicks in.

The market always recovers

There have been countless market corrections before, and every single time, the market has recovered and eventually climbed to new highs.

Whether it was the dot-com crash, the Global Financial Crisis, or the COVID pandemic, investors who stayed the course and bought great businesses at discounted prices were eventually rewarded.

It is worth remembering that trying to time the exact bottom is impossible, but buying quality ASX shares when they are trading well below their recent highs has historically been a winning strategy.

Foolish takeaway

No one knows exactly when the tide will turn, but buying quality ASX tech shares when they are cheap has been a time-tested way to generate long-term wealth.

Right now, some of Australia's best tech stocks are down significantly from their highs. Investors willing to look beyond the short-term uncertainty could be well-positioned to capitalise on the eventual recovery.

If history is a guide, investors who take advantage of today's bargains could be the ones celebrating the biggest gains when the market inevitably bounces back.