Myopia (short-sightedness)

What is Myopia or short-sightedness?

Myopia, or short-sightedness, is an eye condition where objects can be seen clearly up close, but objects further away appear blurred. Myopia occurs if the eyeball is too long or the cornea, the clear front cover of the eye, has too much curvature. Most myopic eyes are healthy and are larger than normal - not that you'd see it, we are talking at a microscopic level.

Symptoms

Myopia is very common and is generally first picked up in school-age children who may frown or screw up their eyes in an effort to see. Short-sighted children may also hold reading material quite close or sit very closely to the television.

Causes

While myopia is often inherited, it can also occur in individuals with no prior family history of myopia. Myopia is not preventable and does not simply go away. Because the eye continues to grow during childhood and adolescence, myopia typically increases until about 25 years of age when it levels off. Myopia does not cause blindness.

Treatment

The good news is that eyes with myopia are capable of good vision and require no treatment other than optical correction such as glasses, contact lenses, orthokeratology and in some cases refractive surgery.

Your Visique optometrist will advise you as to which treatment is most suitable for you.