Myopia
If you or someone you know may need glasses, you are not alone. There are numerous causes of blurry vision; however, the most common is nearsightedness, also known as myopia. What is myopia? Are there ways to prevent nearsightedness from worsening? Learn more about this common ocular condition below.
What Is Myopia?
Myopia is the medical term used to describe nearsightedness. When light enters the eyes, it has to be focused perfectly on the retina in order to produce a clear image. If your vision is blurry, there is a chance that the light may not be focusing exactly on the retina.
As light enters the eyes, the lens of the eye is responsible for focusing the light on your retina. With nearsightedness, the lens is focusing the rays of light in front of your retina instead of directly on it. As a result, myopia develops. You can see images close to you clearly; however, if you try to focus on images in the distance, they become blurry. The reverse is true with hyperopia, also known as farsightedness.
What Causes Myopia?
The causes are both genetic and environmental. The more time we have on the ipad/screens as a child the higher the incidence. Genetics dictates roughly 30% of the myopic changes. The most common cause of myopia is an increase in the axial length of the eye. 1mm increase in length will produce a 3 diopter change in prescription!
There are numerous possible causes of myopia. Even though a lot of people who develop nearsightedness start to experience symptoms during childhood, this is not always the case. If a child has myopia, the condition could worsen as he or she gets older and his or her eyes continue to develop.
Even though there are lots of possible causes of myopia, nearsightedness usually comes down to the cornea and the lens. The cornea is a dome-shaped surface located at the front of your eye. The lens of your eye is a clear structure and is responsible for bending rays of light to meet the surface of your retina.
If there is an issue with the curvature of your lens or cornea, the Rays of light might not be bent appropriately. As a result, you develop something called a refractive error. If your cornea is curved too steeply, or if your eyeball is longer than it should be, light will focus in front of your retina. This creates a blurry appearance for objects in the distance.
Common Symptoms of Nearsightedness
Depending on the severity of myopia, there are numerous symptoms that could develop. Because a lot of symptoms of myopia take place in children, they may not be able to adequately vocalize what is happening to their vision. Therefore, it is important for everyone to keep an eye open for possible symptoms.
Some of the most common symptoms of myopia include:
- The development of blurry vision when trying to focus on objects in the distance
- The need to squint the eyes in order to see objects clearly
- The development of headaches due to eye strain
- Problems seeing objects out the window of a vehicle, particularly while driving at night
In particular, parents may notice the following symptoms in their children. These include:
- The persistent need to partially close the eyes
- Continuing to sit closer to the television or movie screen in an effort to see clearly
- A lack of awareness regarding distant objects
- Difficulty reading a book
- Dropping academic performance
- Blinking excessively
These are all signs that it is time to get evaluated by a trained ocular professional.
Myopia Control: How To Control and Manage Myopia Treatment
Right now, there is no cure for myopia; however, myopia control is available. There are myopia treatment options that could help slow the progression of myopia. Then, when people get older, laser eye surgery could be an option.
Some treatment options that could be effective at controlling myopia include:
- Atropine eye drops, which are designed to impact the way the muscles control the eye
- Multifocal contact lenses, which may be more effective than traditional contact lenses
- Myopia control classes, which are designed to slow the progression of myopia
These treatments could be right for you or your child. How can you figure out which one is right for you?
Contact Us Today To Make an Appointment!
Myopia is one of the most common vision concerns that people have. If you are experiencing blurry vision, you should get evaluated by a trained eye doctor as quickly as possible. That is where we can help you. Our eye doctors will work with you personally to develop a treatment plan. Give us a call today to make an appointment with a member of our team!
