Nearsightedness (Myopia)

You can see clearly up close if you’re nearsighted, but you may find it difficult to read street signs or see far away objects in detail. Nearsightedness (myopia) is the most common cause of poor vision and it affects more than 40% of the U.S. population. Many people wear glasses or contacts because of nearsightedness.

What Is Nearsightedness?

Light entering the front of the eye through the cornea must be focused on a single point on the retina at the back of the eyeball in order to see clearly. The light rays are bent (refracted) by the cornea, and then further bent and focused by the lens of the eye in order to ideally reach the target zone on the retina. Nearsightedness is a refractive error which causes the light to focus at a point in front of the retina, rather than directly on it. This error makes objects at a distance appear out of focus.

What Causes Nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness can be caused by an eyeball that is too long or by a cornea that is too sharply curved, or a combination of both issues. This prohibits the light from reaching the retina and makes distance vision blurry. Although heredity is the primary cause of myopia, eye fatigue from up-close tasks like reading and using a computer may also contribute to the condition.

How Is Nearsightedness Treated?

Optometrists can prescribe corrective lenses to treat myopia, but many people find corrective lenses to be impractical, uncomfortable, or cumbersome. This is why LASIK laser vision correction at The Vision Care Center is so popular.

LASIK often produces results that are better than 20/20, and liberates patients from the discomfort, expense, and hassle of corrective lenses. Learn more about our personalized approach to LASIK.

Please click on this link to The American Academy of Ophthalmology for further information:

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/myopia-nearsightedness