Near Sightedness (Myopia)

Myopia, also commonly known as near sightedness, is a refractive defect of the eye that occurs when the cornea is either too steep or the eyeball is too long. This condition does not affect near vision, but causes objects viewed at a distance to appear blurry. This is because the myopia produces the image focus in the vitreous inside of the eye in front of the retina rather than on the actual retina at the back of the eye.

While there are many kinds of myopia such as degenerative myopia, nocturnal myoptia, pseudomyopia, induced myopia and nearwork induced transient myopia, the most common case is simple myopia.  It is characterized by an eye being too long for its optical power causing blurry distance vision.

A combination of genetic and environmental factors are believed to cause myopia, which affects between 20 and 30 percent of the U.S. population. While myopia can start occurring at any age, it most commonly appears between the ages of eight and twelve years old. The condition usually worsens until adulthood at which point it typically stabilizes.

Myopia is often diagnosed through school screenings or noticed when a child has trouble seeing street signs or television at a distance. It is important to have a doctor screen to test the refractive status of each eye to get an initial objective assessment and then test eye coordination, muscle control, and the ability to change focus.

Myopia is usually treated through the use of corrective lenses such as eyeglasses or contact lenses, but there are also a number of corrective surgeries that can reduce or completely correct the effects of myopia.