Nearsightedness explained By William Goldstein on August 22, 2016

 

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a refractive error in the eye, which makes it unable for people to 

clearly see objects that are slightly at a distance. People who are nearsighted won’t have 

problems doing close-up tasks like using the computer or reading, but they could find it hard to 

read road signs.

Myopia can cause symptoms such as eyestrain, squinting, headaches, or fatigue while 

performing activities like playing sports, driving, or looking at objects more than a few feet 

away.  The main symptom, however, is blurry vision when looking off in the distance

Since myopia is a refractive error, it structure of the eye, and is caused by abnormalities in its shape and size. The eyeball in nearsighted 

people is too long or the cornea can have very high, steep curvature. This causes the light entering the 

eye to become unfocused. Images are focused in front of the retina, which is the light-sensitive 

part of the eye, instead of being focused on the retina, and this results in blurred vision.

 

Typically, myopia can begin in childhood, and people have higher chances of developing this 

condition if their parents are nearsighted. In most cases, myopia stabilizes during early 

adulthood, but in some cases, it can continue to worsen with age.

Myopia can be corrected with contact lenses or glasses. It can also be repaired using refractive 

surgery, such as LASIK surgery. Nearsighted people may need to wear their glasses or contact lenses during the entire 

day or only specific times during the day when they require clear distant vision depending on the 

degree of their condition. It is important that they wear their lenses or glasses while driving or 

performing other tasks which could lead to accidents in case of inattentiveness.