Myopia

Overview

Nearsightedness (myopia) is a vision problem in which items close to you are plainly seen but objects further away are blurry. When light rays bend (refract) wrongly due to the structure of your eye, images focus in front of your retina rather than on your retina.

Nearsightedness can progress slowly or quickly, and it usually worsens between infancy and adolescence. Nearsightedness is a condition that runs in families.

Nearsightedness can be confirmed with a simple eye checkup. Eyeglasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery can be used to correct for the blur.

Symptoms

Nearsightedness symptoms may include:

• When looking at faraway objects, your eyesight becomes hazy.
• To see clearly, you must squint or partially close your eyes.
• Eye strain causes headaches.
• Driving a vehicle can be difficult, especially at night (night myopia)

Nearsightedness is most typically discovered in childhood and diagnosed during the early school years and the adolescent years. A child with nearsightedness may:

• Squint all the time
• Need to be closer to the TV, movie screen, or the front of the classroom?
• They appear to be oblivious to distant objects.
• Excessively blink
• He or she rubs his or her eyes a lot.

Myopia Diagnosis

Using conventional eye exams, your eye care professional can diagnose myopia. Myopia is most commonly diagnosed in children, however it can also occur in adults due to visual stress or diabetes.

Adults. Your doctor will examine how your eyes focus light and determine the strength of any corrective lenses you might require. Your provider will first ask you to read letters on an eye chart to determine your visual acuity (sharpness). Then he or she will measure how light is reflected by your retina with a lit retinoscope. A phoropter will also be used by your provider. A phoropter is a device that places a set of lenses in front of your eyes to determine the degree of refractive error you have. This is how your eye doctor determines the lens strength you require.

Children. At each well-child appointment, your pediatrician will examine your child’s eyes. If possible, the initial eye test should be done before the child turns one year old. If your child does not appear to have any eye abnormalities, arrange a follow-up eye test before kindergarten. Because myopia runs in families, it’s even more crucial to test your child’s eyes early if they have family members who have vision problems. Your child may be sent to an optometrist or pediatric ophthalmologist if you or your pediatrician observe any visual problems.

Your eye care provider will perform a physical examination of your child’s eyes and check for a normal light reflex during a children’s eye exam. Your doctor will also do vision examinations for children aged 3 to 5 years old utilizing eye chart tests, pictures, letters, or the “tumbling E game,” also known as the “Random E’s Visual Acuity Test.” Because your child’s vision changes as he or she grows, schedule vision screenings with a pediatrician or eye care professional before the first grade and every two years thereafter. While most schools undertake eye exams, they are frequently insufficient to identify myopia.

Myopia Treatment

Myopia can be corrected in both children and adults with glasses or contact lenses. There are various types of refractive operations that can correct myopia in adults (with a few exceptions for children).

Your prescription for glasses or contact lenses is a negative number, such as -3.00, if you have myopia. Your lenses will be stronger if the number is higher. The prescription aids the eye’s ability to focus light on the retina, improving distance vision.

• Eyeglasses. Eyeglasses are the most common way for most people to correct their myopia. You will wear eyeglasses on a regular basis or only when distance vision is required, depending on the degree of vision correction required. It’s possible that you’ll just need glasses while driving. To play ball, watch a movie, or look at the chalkboard, some kids with myopia may simply need glasses. To see clearly, some people may need to wear glasses all of the time. Distance vision will be improved with a single-vision lens. Patients over 40 with myopia, on the other hand, may need a bifocal or progressive lens to see clearly both close and far.
• Contact lenses. With contact lenses, some people report having clearer and wider distance vision. The fact that they require more attention to keep clean is a possible disadvantage. Inquire with your doctor about which type is best for your level of myopia and other refractive issues.
• Ortho-k or CRT. Some individuals with mild myopia may be candidates for temporary corneal refractive contact lenses, which are worn at night to temporarily reshape the cornea so that you can see during your daily activities.
• Vision therapy. If your myopia is caused by focusing muscle spasms, vision therapy may be a possibility. Eye workouts can help you strengthen your muscles and increase your focus.

Prevention

Although there is no treatment for myopia, there are steps you can do every day to improve your eye health. Setting restrictions on activities that cause eye strain for your children (and yourself) is especially crucial these days.

Try these eye-saving suggestions:

• Time spent on digital gadgets should be limited.
• Take breaks from your computer to stretch your eye muscles.
• Reading or working in low light is not a good idea.
• Encourage people to spend time outside.
• Outside, wear sunglasses.
• When participating in sports or pastimes, wear protective eyewear.
• Quit smoking.
• Schedule eye checkups on a regular basis.