About
Myopia is a common refractive condition commonly referred to as near or short sightedness. People with Myopia can see near objects clearly but distant objects are blurry. Myopia occurs when the cornea and lens focus the light in front of the retina instead of exactly on it, usually because the eye is a little larger than it should be.
Causes
Several factors probably combine to cause myopia. There is a tendency for myopia to run in families, however, environmental factors play a big role too. Myopia usually appears around puberty, but can appear at any age from early childhood.
A widely held misconception is that myopia corrects itself with age. Although patients with low-level myopia can read without glasses throughout life, their distance vision remains poor.
Symptoms
- Difficulty seeing distant objects clearly
- Squinting frequently
- Holding books or other objects very close to the face
Treatment
Myopia is usually treated with eyeglasses or contact lenses which compensate for the elongated shape of the eye allowing the light to focus properly on the retina. Refractive surgery (such as LASIK, PRK among others) is another very successful option that eliminates dependency on glasses or contact lenses.
