What causes nearsightedness (myopia)? 

How does nearsightedness (myopia) affect sight? 

Who is affected by nearsightedness?

How is myopia diagnosed?

How is myopia treated? 

   If you can see objects nearby with no problem, but reading road signs or making out the writing on the board at school is more difficult, you may be near or shortsighted.

                   
                Normal vision                          Nearsightedness(myopia)

     Your eye care professional may refer to the condition as myopia, a term that comes from a Greek word meaning "closed eyes." Use of the word "myopia" for this condition may have grown out of one of the main indications of nearsightedness:  Squinting to see distant objects clearly. 

     Myopia is not a disease, nor does it mean that you have "bad eyes." It simply refers to a variation in the shape of your eyeball. The degree of variation determines whether or not you will need corrective eyewear or the condition can be correct by laser surgery. 

What causes nearsightedness (myopia)? 
     Myopia most often occurs because the eyeball is too long, rather than the normal, more rounded shape. Another less frequent cause of myopia is that the cornea, the eye’s clear outer window, is too curved. There is some evidence that nearsightedness may also be caused by too much close vision work. 

How does nearsightedness (myopia) affect sight? 
     Our ability to "see" starts when light enters the eye through the cornea. The shape of the cornea, lens and eyeball help bend (refract) light rays in such a manner that light is focused into a point precisely on the retina. 

     In contrast, if you are nearsighted, the light rays from a distant point are focused at a place in front of the retina. As the light will only be focused in that one place, by the time it reaches the retina it will have "defocused" again, forming a blurred image. 

Who is affected by nearsightedness? 
     Myopia usually occurs between the ages of 8 to 12 years. Since the eyes continue to grow during childhood, nearsightedness almost always occurs before the age of 20. 
     Often the degree of myopia increases as the body grows rapidly, then levels off in adulthood.  During the years of rapid growth, frequent changes in prescription eyewear may be needed to maintain clear vision. 

How is myopia diagnosed? 
     Myopia is often suspected when a teacher notices a child squinting to see a blackboard or a child performs poorly during a routine eye screening. Further examination will reveal the degree of the problem. 

     A comprehensive eye health examination will detect myopia. Periodic examinations should follow after myopia has been discovered to determine whether the condition is changing, and whether a change in prescriptive eyewear is needed. Eye exams also help to ensure that vision impairments do not interfere with daily activities. 

How is myopia treated?  
     Corrective concave lenses are prescribed to help focus light more precisely on the retina, where a clear image will be formed.  Depending on the degree of myopia, glasses or contact lenses may be needed all of the time for clear vision. If the degree of impairment is slight, corrective lenses may be needed only for activities that require distance vision, such as driving, watching TV or in sports requiring fine vision. 

  is the worldwide treatment of choice for correcting moderate and severe degrees of myopia.  The refractive surgery procedure of , laser in situ keratomileusis, involves a measured microkeratome to cut a hinged flap of the cornea, combined with an excimer laser to removed a graded portion of underlying corneal tissue.Whether the procedure is appropriate for an individual patient depends on the patient's eye history, expectations and understanding of the operation, possible complications, and alternatives. 

     To learn more about this revolutionary refractive surgery for nearsightedness, click on the Laser Vision Correction box below and kiss your glasses goodby.