Myopia

What is Myopia?

Myopia is the medical name for nearsightedness, which means that you can see objects that are near clearly but have difficulty seeing objects that are farther away. For example, if you have nearsightedness, you may not be able to make out highway signs until they’re just a few feet away.

Myopia affects a significant percentage of people. It’s an eye focus disorder that’s normally corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery.

How common is myopia?

Myopia is common. According to one estimate, more than 40% of people in the U.S. have nearsightedness. This number is rapidly rising, especially among school-aged children. Eye experts expect this trend to continue in the coming decades.

One in four parents has a child with some degree of nearsightedness. Some eye experts believe that if your child spends a great deal of time engaged in “near” activities, such as reading or using smartphones and computers, it may raise their risk of developing myopia.

Are there types of myopia?

Eye specialists divide myopia broadly into simple myopia and pathologic myopia. Pathologic myopia is a newer name for degenerative myopia.

People with simple myopia have contact lenses or eyeglasses that help provide clear vision, while those with pathologic myopia may not be able to have clear vision even with corrective lenses.

What are the symptoms of myopia?

If you have nearsightedness, you may notice:

• Faraway objects look blurred or fuzzy.
• Close items appear clear.
• Headaches.
• Eye strain.
• Squinting.
• Tiredness when driving, playing sports or looking more than a few feet away.

What causes myopia?

If you have myopia, more than likely, at least one or both of your biological parents do, too. Eye experts are still unsure of the exact cause of myopia, but believe it to be a mix of hereditary and environmental factors.

It’s possible that you can inherit the ability to be myopic. If your lifestyle produces just the right conditions, you’ll develop it. For example, if you use your eyes for a lot of close-up work, like reading or working on a computer, you may develop myopia.

Myopia usually appears in childhood. Typically, the condition can worsen in early childhood but tends to level off by the end of teen years.

Because the light coming into your eyes doesn’t focus correctly, images are unclear. Think of it as being a little like a misdirected spotlight. If you shine a spotlight on the incorrect place in the distance, you won’t be able to see the correct object clearly.

How is myopia treated?

Glasses or contact lenses can correct myopia in children and adults. For adults only (with rare exceptions for children), there are several types of refractive surgeries that can also correct myopia.

With myopia, your prescription for glasses or contact lenses is a negative number, such as -3.00. The higher the number, the stronger your lenses will be. The prescription helps your eye focus light on your retina, clearing up your distance vision.

• Eyeglasses: The most popular way for most people to correct myopia is with eyeglasses. Depending on the degree of vision correction needed, you’ll wear eyeglasses either daily or only when you need distance vision. You may only need glasses for driving. Some kids with myopia may only need glasses to play ball, watch a movie or view the chalkboard. Some people may need to wear glasses constantly to see clearly. A single-vision lens will make distance vision clearer. But people over 40 who have myopia may require a bifocal or progressive lens to see clearly both near and far.
• Contact lenses: Some people find that their distance vision is sharper and wider with contact lenses. A potential downside is they require more care to keep clean. Ask your provider which type might be right for your myopia level and other refractive errors.
• Ortho-k or CRT: Some people with mild myopia may be candidates for temporary corneal refractive contact lenses that you wear to bed to reshape your cornea temporarily, long enough to see for your daily activities.
• LASIK is a laser-assisted in situ keratomileus procedure, the most common surgery to correct nearsightedness. In a LASIK procedure, your ophthalmologist uses a laser to cut a flap through the top of your cornea, reshape the inner corneal tissue and then drop the flap back into place.
• Vision therapy: This is an option if spasms of your focusing muscles cause myopia. You can strengthen the muscles through eye exercises and improve your focus. This treatment isn’t appropriate for everyone with myopia. After an eye exam, your ophthalmologist will let you know if it’s an option for you.
• Intraocular lens implant: This allows your ophthalmologist to surgically insert a new lens in your eye, replacing your natural one. This procedure happens before a cataract develops.

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