Myopia

Treatment for Nearsighted People

Myopia (better known as nearsightedness) is a vision problem experienced by 1 in 3 Americans. People who are nearsighted have difficulty seeing objects that are far away, such as road signs; objects that are close up, however, such as book or sewing materials, are clear (hence, “near-sight”). Myopia can be corrected by glasses, contact lenses, and refractive surgery.

Signs & Symptoms of Myopia

As mentioned nearsighted individuals have difficulty seeing objects that are far away. As a result, when a myopic individual is not wearing glasses or contact lenses, he/she may develop such symptoms as headaches, eyestrain, or a squint. Fatigue may also result from simple tasks such a driving or playing sports that require use of distance vision. People who still experience these symptoms even with their glasses or contacts on may require a new prescription.

Causes of Myopia

There are two ways in which myopia can occur:

The eyeball is too long
The lens/cornea optical system of the eye is too strong

Figure: Myopia. Courtesy of EyeAtlas.com.

Both situations result in the focusing of light rays ahead of the retina (the light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eye that collects light images). As a result, the image that forms at the retina is blurred.

Myopia (nearsightedness) tends to run in the family and usually begins to appear during childhood, particularly when school begins and children realize that they have difficulty seeing the board. Nearsightedness may progress as the child ages, but many cases of myopia do stabilize eventually. Situations in which myopia does not stabilize but instead worsens gradually is known as “myopia creep.”

Diagnosis & Treatment of Myopia

Myopia (nearsightedness) is determined in an eye exam. Your optometrist will determine your prescription and then whether or not it needs to be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Laser eye surgery is an option for many people with myopia. Discuss laser surgery options with your eyecare professional to determine if it is right for you.

How do you know if you have myopia? If you've got your prescription handy, take it out and have a look. Does the power begin with a minus (-) sign (eg. -2.00D)? If so, then you have myopia. The higher the number associated with the minus sign is, the stronger the glasses that are needed. The details of a contact lens prescription are somewhat more detailed, involving the necessary curvature and diameter of the contact lenses that will fit your eyes. Learn more about how to read a contact lens prescription.

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