Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness, also called myopia, is a common vision condition that often begins in childhood or young adulthood. It makes distant objects look blurry while close-up vision stays clear. Today, myopia affects millions of people, and experts predict that nearly half of the world’s population could be nearsighted by the year 2050.

Nearsightedness FAQs

What are symptoms of nearsightedness?

A person who is nearsighted has difficulty seeing things at a distance clearly but is generally able to see well for close-up tasks or reading. In addition to blurry distance vision, other symptoms include squinting, eye strain, and mild to moderate headaches.

If you experience any of these symptoms while wearing your glasses or contacts, it may be time to schedule an eye exam with an EyeCare Opical Optometrist at one of our East Tennessee locations near you.

What causes nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness occurs if the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved. As a result, the light entering the eye is focused at a point in front of the retina rather than on its surface, causing distant objects to look blurred. The condition typically begins in childhood and stabilizes in early adulthood. However, sometimes it can progress with age.

How is nearsightedness treated?

Most people who are nearsighted can see well with glasses or contact lenses. Depending on how strong your prescription is, you may only need correction for certain activities such as driving, watching a movie, or seeing road signs, or you may choose to wear it all the time for clearer vision and comfort.

If you’re nearsighted, your eyeglass or contact lens prescription will include a minus sign (–) in front of the number. The higher that number is, the stronger the prescription needed to help you see clearly at a distance.

Another popular treatment for nearsightedness is laser refractive surgery, which can reduce or even eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses. At our affiliate, Campbell Cunningham Laser Center, the available laser vision correction procedures include LASIK and PRK.

For people with a high degree of nearsightedness or thinner-than-normal corneas, laser vision correction like LASIK may not be the best option. In these cases, lens-based procedures such as EVO ICL or Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) may be recommended. EVO ICL places a specialized lens in the eye while keeping your natural lens intact, whereas RLE replaces the eye’s natural lens with an artificial one. Both options work similarly to contact lenses – but without the daily maintenance – and can provide long-term vision correction when laser surgery isn’t ideal. Both EVO ICL and RLE are also available procedures at Campbell Cunningham Laser Center.

Can nearsightedness affect the health of my eyes?

While nearsightedness can become slightly worse as we age, it’s very rarely progressive and serious. In most cases, nearsightedness is simply considered a minor inconvenience that just requires glasses or contacts for clear vision.

In relatively rare cases, nearsightedness can be more severe and associated with long-term changes at the back of the eye, sometimes called degenerative or pathological myopia. This form can increase the risk of vision problems and is estimated to affect only a small percentage of people compared with typical myopia. It often begins in childhood and may run in families, although many factors – both genetic and environmental – play a role.

People with this condition experience rapid elongation of the eyeball, which leads to quick and drastic loss of vision. Sufferers also have significantly higher risk of retinal detachment or bleeding in the back of the eye due to abnormal growth of blood vessels. Degenerative myopia may also increase the risk of developing cataracts.

If you suspect you or a loved one may have degenerative myopia, it’s important to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor as soon as possible.