Nearsightedness And What It Means 

Nearsightedness, Myopia, is the reverse of farsightedness. It may develop gradually or rapidly, often worsening during childhood and adolescence, and it is a disease that tends to run in families, inherited. With your uncorrected natural vision, you have difficulty seeing far away. This occurs when the eyeball is too long, and when it is longer than normal the light cannot focus properly through the lens. Therefore, the transparent part of the eye that covers the iris and the pupil which allows light to enter the inside (cornea) is not functioning properly.

It is a common vision condition in which you can see objects near to you clearly, but objects farther away are blurry. This occurs when the shape of your eye causes light rays to bend (refract) incorrectly, focusing images in front of your retina instead of on your retina.  Short-sightedness is known to run in families, therefore, you have a higher risk of developing it if one or both of your parents are also short-sighted. There are approximately 40 genes linked to short-sightedness per research studies.

Do You Know The Differences Between Nearsightedness And Astigmatism?

• People with nearsightedness will have blurred vision at long distances while people with astigmatism will experience blurred vision at any distance.
• The primary difference between these two conditions is that there is blurry vision (two distinctive refractive errors).
• Not wearing glasses will not improve nearsightedness.
• Your vision should improve when wearing glasses which will help correct eye issues.
• It is important to note that not wearing glasses can result in eyesight loss symptoms recurring.
• Always follow your doctor’s recommendations and wear your glasses.

Nearsightedness Symptoms (Mayo Clinic)

• Blurry vision when looking at distant objects
• The need to squint or partially close the eyelids to see clearly
• Headaches caused by eyestrain
• Difficulty seeing while driving a vehicle, especially at night (night myopia)

Nearsightedness first occurs during childhood and appears between the early school years through the teens. A child with nearsightedness may:

• Persistently squint
• Need to sit closer to the television, movie screen, or the front of the classroom
• Seem to be unaware of distant objects
• Blink excessively
• Rub his or her eyes frequently

When To Seek Emergency Medical Care

The tissue at the back of your eye that processes light pulls away from the tissue around it; retinal detachment which is usually a rare complication of nearsightedness.  It is imperative to see an eye doctor immediately if you experience the following:

• You have difficulty seeing things far away (distance blur) and you can’t perform a task as well as you wish
• The quality of your vision detracts from your enjoyment of activities.
• The sudden appearance of many floaters —specks that seem to drift through your field of vision
• Flashes of light in one or both eyes
• A curtain-like shadow over your visual field

These are warning signs of retinal detachment, which is a rare complication of myopia. Retinal detachment is a medical emergency, and time is critical.

Ways to Correct Myopia (WebMD):

• Glasses: Eyeglasses are the safest option for correcting myopia since the lenses do not come into contact with the eyes. …
• Contact lenses: Contact lenses work similarly to glasses, but you place the lens directly into your eye. …
• LASIK: Laser vision surgery eliminates the need for corrective lenses.

The Mayo Clinic Recommend The Following for Regular Eye Exams:

Adults:

• Five to ten years in your 20s and 30s
• Two to four years from 40 to 54
• Every one to three years from 55 to 64
• One to two years after age 65

Children and Adosolents

• Children must see their doctor for eye disease and vision screening by a pediatrician, an ophthalmologist, or an optometrist at the following ages and intervals.
• Age 6 months
• Age 3 years
• Before first grade and every two years during school years, at well-child visits, or through school or public screenings

Ways to Correct Myopia

• Glasses: Eyeglasses are the safest option for correcting nearsightedness since the lenses do not encounter the eyes.
• Contact lenses: Contact lenses work similarly to glasses, but you place the lens directly into your eye. …
• LASIK: Laser vision surgery eliminates the need for corrective lenses.

Please see your eye doctor immediately if you are experiencing nearsightedness symptoms.

Ways to Correct Myopia

• Glasses: Eyeglasses are the safest option for correcting nearsightedness since the lenses do not encounter the eyes.
• Contact lenses: Contact lenses work similarly to glasses, but you place the lens directly into your eye. …
• LASIK: Laser vision surgery eliminates the need for corrective lenses.

Please see your eye doctor immediately if you are experiencing nearsightedness symptoms.