What Is Myopia? An Introduction to Nearsightedness

Myopia is one of the most common vision disorders in the world. Almost 50% of people have it, and over the years, it’s also become more and more common in children. Around 9% of children ages 5-17 have myopia.

The disorder doesn’t sound serious, but it is important to treat it early on with corrective lenses. If you’re a parent with a nearsighted child or suspect your child must have it, it’s crucial to know as much as possible about it.

What Is Myopia?

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is an eye disorder due to a refractive error. People with this condition see nearby objects well but have trouble seeing faraway objects. Distant objects often appear blurry or fuzzy instead. If you have myopia, you won’t be able to see highway signs clearly until they are only a few feet away.

It is a distance and eye focus disorder. It usually develops in childhood and adolescence, eventually settling around the 20s to 40s. An ophthalmologist or optometrist can diagnose it through an eye exam. While it seems a problematic eye condition, it can be corrected easily with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery.

Types of Myopia

The common types of myopia are mild, moderate, and severe nearsightedness. If you have less than three diopters of myopia, you have low myopia or mild nearsightedness. If it’s three to six diopters, you have moderate nearsightedness. High myopia, also known as severe nearsightedness, is when you have more than six diopters.
 

There are also clinical types of myopia. Congenital myopia is when myopia has been present since birth. The second one, simple myopia, is the most common, with the onset being around eight to 12 years of age. Then, pathological myopia is a rapidly progressive type and acquired myopia resulting from medications or other irregular conditions.

Causes of Myopia

A nearsighted child is likely to have at least one parent with myopia. Currently, experts are still trying to figure out what causes it. However, they believe it is a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. You might inherit it but can develop it when your lifestyle creates the right conditions. For instance, you can develop it if your work always has you in front of your computer.

Signs and Symptoms of Myopia

A nearsighted person will likely notice that they:
 

• Constant headaches

• Have eye strain or dry eyes

• Often squint to see things clearly

• Blink excessively

• Have blurry or fuzzy vision looking at faraway objects

• Feels tired when playing sports, driving, or looking at faraway objects

Other things that also indicate that someone has myopia include:
 

• Short attention span

• Poor school grades

• Often holding items close to their face

• Sit close to the television

If you have these symptoms or notice someone showing these indicators, scheduling an eye exam as soon as possible is great.

Myopia Treatment

The good news is that most cases of nearsightedness are mild. You can usually control them with refractive surgery or simply wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses. There is also LASIK surgery, which usually means no more wearing corrective lenses. However, it is only suitable for some. It would help if you talked more about your options with your eye doctor.

Get your corrective lenses at Frame & Focus Eye Care by calling (832) 664-7900 or visiting our clinic in Richmond, Texas.