What is Myopia (near-sightedness)?

Myopia is one of the most common refractive errors, causing nearby objects to appear clear and objects in the distance to appear blurry. For example, you may find it easy to focus on close objects, such as reading a book, but find it difficult to see road signs at a distance. This happens when the size of the eye is too large, causing light rays to focus in front of the retina as opposed to on it.

Myopia (short-sightedness or near-sightedness) has become increasingly prevalent in recent years.

Alastair Lockwood, Eye health advisor, Ophthalmologist and Eye surgeon, says, “Myopia is mainly due to the increased use of device screens, like computers, tablets and smartphones. Plus, genetic predispositions can lead to myopia.” He further adds, “Myopia can be detected by an eye exam and it can be corrected with glasses, contact lenses or eye surgery.”

In this article, you will get to learn what is myopia, what causes myopia, its symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, prevention and much more.

What is myopia

Symptoms of myopia

Myopia can make it difficult for you to read road signs and see distant objects clearly. However, you can still do close-up tasks, such as reading and using devices. Other symptoms of myopia include:

Blurred vision when focusing on objects far away
Squinting to see clearly
Eye strain, resulting in headaches
Eye fatigue after tasks that require concentration
Difficulty seeing while driving, especially at night (night myopia)

Myopia is usually detected during childhood. Symptoms of myopia in children include:

Persistent squinting
Excessive blinking
The need to sit close to the TV or at the front of the classroom to read the board
A lack of awareness of objects in the distance
Rubbing eyes frequently
Headaches
Holding books and tablets or doing homework too close

What causes myopia?

Myopia occurs when the eyeball grows too long. This prevents the light from focusing on the retina (light-sensitive tissue) at the back of the eye. As a result, light rays focus on a point in front of the retina rather than directly on its surface. This causes distant objects to appear blurred.

Myopia can also be caused by the cornea and/or lens being too curved for the length of the eyeball. In some cases, myopia is due to a combination of these factors.

This condition usually starts in childhood and worsens over time, though for some people, it stabilises with age.

Risk factors of myopia

Certain risk factors can increase the chances of getting myopia. These include genetics (especially in the East Asian community) and the environment.

Myopia can run in families. For example, if one of your parents has myopia, you are at a higher risk of developing this condition. This likelihood increases if both parents are myopic.

Studies also suggest that a lack of outdoor time increases the risk of developing myopia, as individuals spend a lot of time indoors looking at close objects instead of going outdoors and looking at distant objects.

Risk-Factors

Complications of myopia

Myopia can cause several complications, especially if left untreated. Some of these problems are severe. The following complications can be experienced by people with myopia:

Eye strain: If left uncorrected, myopia may cause eye strain as you try to focus on objects, resulting in discomfort and headaches.
Safety risks: Uncorrected vision problem can risk your safety as well as others, such as while driving.
Financial stress: Corrective lenses or glasses, eye exams and medical procedures can be costly, causing financial stress.
Other eye problems: Near-sightedness (if severe) can put you at risk of different eye problems, including retinal detachment, cataracts, glaucoma and damage in the central retina area (myopic macular degeneration).

Diagnosis of myopia

An eye test can diagnose your myopia. It’s generally advised to have an eye test every two years. But, if you notice any sudden changes in your vision, then you can book your eye test sooner.

How to treat myopia?

Myopia is easily corrected with prescription contact lenses or glasses. You can also opt for refractive surgery.

Corrective lenses

Depending on your prescription, you may have to always wear your contact lenses or glasses. Your lenses or glasses will help you get clear distance vision. For example, watching the television, reading a board in class or reading distant signs while driving.

If you’re short-sighted, the first number (sphere) on your prescription will have a minus sign (–). The higher the number, the more short-sighted you are.

Laser eye surgery

Laser eye surgery can reduce or correct short-sightedness. There are three main types of laser eye surgeries:

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK): This procedure involves removing a small part of the cornea’s surface (the outer layer of cells known as the epithelium) and then using a laser to reshape the cornea.
Laser epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK): In this procedure, the surface of the cornea is loosened with alcohol and a flap of tissue is lifted so that the laser can go in and change the shape of the cornea. The flap is put back in place afterwards.
Laser in situ keratectomy (LASIK): Similar to LASEK surgery, but in this, a larger flap of cornea is created.

Please note that laser eye surgery is not suitable for everyone. For example, if you have diabetes, you may have abnormalities in your eyes, which could worsen by laser eye surgery.

Moreover, it is not advisable to undergo laser eye surgery if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as your body will contain hormones that may cause fluctuations in your eyesight, potentially challenging the surgery’s precision.

Any autoimmune conditions, such as HIV, rheumatoid arthritis or other eye conditions like glaucoma and cataracts, can also cause problems with laser eye surgery.

Some patients experience a recurrence of their short-sightedness and in some cases, the condition worsens even more after surgery.

Your optician will usually advise you to wait till you turn 21 years of age before you consider this option. Before this age, your eyes are still developing and your myopia could stabilise.

However, even if you are over 21, laser eye surgery should only be carried out if your glasses or contact lens prescription has not changed significantly over the last two years or more.

Can myopia be prevented or controlled?

There are some options for preventing and controlling myopia that have mixed results depending on each patient.

One of the most popular ways to prevent or control near-sightedness is orthokeratology. This is a non-surgical procedure that requires you to wear rigid gas-permeable contact lenses at night. The lens reshapes your cornea while you sleep and temporarily retains the shape throughout the day, giving you clearer vision.

Those who have minor myopia are more likely to benefit. Such individuals may only require assistance with specific activities, such as driving at night or going to the cinema.

According to BCLA, multifocal contact lenses or glasses (which allow you to see both far and near objects clearly) may also slow the progression of myopia in children.

When to see your eye care practitioner?

You should consult your eye care practitioner if your distance vision is so poor that it's interfering with your daily tasks. They will be able to determine how severe your near-sightedness is and advise on a form of vision correction.

Retinal detachment is more likely in people with high myopia (anything above -5.00 dioptres). These symptoms are indicators of a possible retinal detachment:

The sudden appearance of eye floaters (tiny specks that appear to drift through your field of vision)
Flashes of light in one eye or both
A curtain-like shadow over your field of vision

Please note: Seek prompt medical help if you experience any of these symptoms.

Disclaimer: The advice in this article is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical care or an in-person check-up. Please check with an eyecare professional before purchasing any products or remedies. For information on our article review process, please refer to our Editorial Policy.