Nearsightedness, or myopia, as it is medically
termed, is a vision condition in which near objects are
seen clearly, but distant objects do not come into proper
focus. Nearsightedness occurs if your eyeball is too long
or the cornea has too much curvature, so the light entering
your eye is not focused correctly.
Nearsightedness is a very
common vision condition that affects nearly 30 percent
of the U.S. population. Some evidence supports the theory
that nearsightedness is hereditary. There is also growing
evidence that nearsightedness may be caused by the stress
of too much close vision work. It normally first occurs
in school-age children. Because the eye continues to grow
during childhood, nearsightedness generally develops before
age 20.
A sign of nearsightedness
is difficulty seeing distant objects like a movie or TV
screen or chalkboard. A comprehensive optometric examination
will include testing for nearsightedness. Your optometrist
can prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to optically
correct nearsightedness by altering the way the light
images enter your eyes. You may only need to wear them
for certain activities, like watching TV or a movie or
driving a car, or they may need to be worn for all activities.
Refractive surgery or laser
procedures are also possible treatments for nearsightedness
as is orthokeratology. Orthokeratology
(ortho-k) is a non-invasive procedure that involves
the wearing of a series of specially-designed rigid contact
lenses to progressively reshape the curvature of the cornea
over time.
