Overview

 

Nearsightedness, Or Myopia, As It Is Medically Termed, Is A Vision Condition In Which Close Objects Are Seen Clearly, But Objects Farther Away Appear Blurred. Nearsightedness Occurs If The Eyeball Is Too Long Or The Cornea, The Clear Front Cover Of The Eye, Has Too Much Curvature. As A Result, The Light Entering The Eye Isn’t Focused Correctly And Distant Objects Look Blurred.

Nearsightedness Is A Very Common Vision Condition Affecting Nearly 30 Percent Of The U.S. Population. Some Research Supports The Theory That Nearsightedness Is Hereditary. There Is Also Growing Evidence That It Is Influenced By The Visual Stress Of Too Much Close Work.

Generally, Nearsightedness First Occurs In School-Age Children. Because The Eye Continues To Grow During Childhood, It Typically Progresses Until About Age 20. However, Nearsightedness May Also Develop In Adults Due To Visual Stress Or Health Conditions Such As Diabetes.

Nearsightedness Or Myopia, Occurs When Light Entering The Eye Focuses In Front Of The Retina Instead Of Directly On It. This Is Caused By A Cornea That Is Steeper, Or An Eye That Is Longer, Than A Normal Eye. Nearsighted People Typically See Well Up Close, But Have Difficulty Seeing Far Away.

Causes

A Nearsighted Person Sees Near Objects Clearly, While Objects In The Distance Are Blurred. As A Result, Someone With Myopia Tends To Squint When Viewing Far Away Objects. This Characteristic Is The Basis Of The Word "Myopia," Which Comes From Two Greek Words: Myein, Meaning Shut, And Ops, Meaning Eye.

A Nearsighted Person Can Easily Read The Jaeger Eye Chart (The Chart For Near Reading), But Finds The Snellen Eye Chart (The Chart For Distance) Difficult To Read. This Blurred Vision Results When The Visual Image Is Focused In Front Of The Retina, Rather Than Directly On It.

Nearsightedness Occurs When The Physical Length Of The Eye Is Greater Than The Optical Length. For This Reason, It Often Develops In The Rapidly Growing School-Aged Child Or Teenager, And Progresses During The Growth Years, Requiring Frequent Changes In Glasses Or Contact Lenses. It Usually Stops Progressing As A Person Finishes Growing In His Or Her Early Twenties.

Nearsightedness Affects Males And Females Equally. Those With A Family History Of Nearsightedness Are More Likely To Develop It. Most Eyes With Nearsightedness Are Entirely Healthy, But A Small Number Of People With Myopia Develop A Form Of Retinal Degeneration.

How Is Nearsightedness Diagnosed?

Testing For Nearsightedness May Use Several Procedures In Order To Measure How The Eyes Focus Light And To Determine The Power Of Any Optical Lenses Needed To Correct The Reduced Vision.

A Phoropter And Retinoscope Are Often Used To Determine The Lenses That Allow The Clearest Vision During A Comprehensive Eye Exam.

As Part Of The Testing, Letters On A Distance Chart Are Identified. This Test Measures Visual Acuity, Which Is Written As A Fraction Such As 20/40. The Top Number Of The Fraction Is The Standard Distance At Which Testing Is Performed, Twenty Feet. The Bottom Number Is The Smallest Letter Size Read. A Person With 20/40 Visual Acuity Would Have To Get Within 20 Feet To Identify A Letter That Could Be Seen Clearly At Forty Feet In A “Normal” Eye. Normal Distance Visual Acuity Is 20/20, Although Many People Have 20/15 (Better) Vision.

Using An Instrument Called A Phoropter, An Optometrist Places A Series Of Lenses In Front Of Your Eyes And Measures How They Focus Light Using A Hand Held Lighted Instrument Called A Retinoscope. The Doctor May Choose To Use An Automated Instrument That Automatically Evaluates The Focusing Power Of The Eye. The Power Is Then Refined By Patient’s Responses To Determine The Lenses That Allow The Clearest Vision.

This Testing May Be Done Without The Use Of Eye Drops To Determine How The Eyes Respond Under Normal Seeing Conditions. In Some Cases, Such As For Patients Who Can’t Respond Verbally, Or When Some Of The Eye’s Focusing Power May Be Hidden, Eye Drops May Be Used. They Temporarily Keep The Eyes From Changing Focus While Testing Is Performed.

Using The Information Obtained From These Tests, Along With The Results Of Other Tests Of Eye Focusing And Eye Teaming, Your Optometrist Can Determine If You Have Nearsightedness. He Or She Will Also Determine The Power Of Any Lens Correction Needed To Provide Clear Vision. Once Testing Is Complete, Your Optometrist Can Discuss Options For Treatment.

Symptoms

Exams And Tests

A General Eye Examination, Or Standard Ophthalmic Exam May Include : -

How Is Nearsightedness Treated?

Persons With Nearsightedness Have Several Options Available To Regain Clear Distance Vision. They Include : -

Eyeglasses Are The Primary Choice Of Correction For Persons With Nearsightedness. Generally, A Single Vision Lens Is Prescribed To Provide Clear Vision At All Distances. However, For Patients Over About Age 40, Or Children And Adults Whose Nearsightedness Is Due To The Stress Of Near Vision Work, A Bifocal Or Progressive Addition Lens May Be Needed. These Multifocal Lenses Provide Different Powers Or Strengths Throughout The Lens To Allow For Clear Vision In The Distance And Also Clear Vision Up Close.


[ Eyeglasses Are Frequently Used To Correct Myopia.]

A Large Selection Of Lens Types And Frame Designs Are Now Available For Patients Of All Ages. Eye Glasses Are No Longer Just A Medical Device That Provides Needed Vision Correction, But Can Also Be A Fashion Statement. They Are Available In A Wide Variety Of Sizes, Shapes, Colors And Materials That Not Only Correct For Vision Problems But Also May Enhance Appearance.

For Some Individuals, Contact Lenses Can Offer Better Vision Than Eyeglasses. They May Provide Clearer Vision And A Wider Field Of View. However, Since Contact Lenses Are Worn Directly On The Eyes, They Require Regular Cleaning And Care To Safeguard Eye Health.

Orthokeratology (Ortho-K), Also Known As Corneal Refractive Therapy, Involves The Fitting Of A Series Of Rigid Contact Lenses To Reshape The Cornea, The Front Outer Surface Of The Eye. The Contact Lenses Are Worn Daily For Limited Periods, Such As Overnight, And Then Removed. Persons With Moderate Amounts Of Nearsightedness May Be Able To Temporarily Obtain Clear Vision For Most Of Their Daily Activities.

Refractive Surgery Can Reduce Or Even Eliminate Your Need For Glasses Or Contacts. The Most Common Procedures Are Performed With An Excimer Laser.


People Who Are Highly Nearsighted Or Whose Corneas Are Too Thin To Allow The Use Of Laser Procedures Now Have Another Option. They May Be Able To Have Their Nearsightedness Surgically Corrected By Implanting Small Lenses In Their Eyes. These Intraocular Lenses Look Like Small Contact Lenses And They Provide The Needed Optical Correction Directly Inside The Eye.

Vision Therapy Is An Option For People Whose Blurred Distance Vision Is Caused By A Spasm Of The Muscles Which Control Eye Focusing. Various Eye Exercises Can Be Used To Improve Poor Eye Focusing Ability And Regain Clear Distance Vision.

People With Nearsightedness Have A Variety Of Options To Correct Their Vision Problem. In Consultation With Your Optometrist, You Can Select The Treatment That Best Meets You Visual And Lifestyle Needs.

For more information, medical assessment and medical quote

as email attachment to

Email : - info@wecareindia.com

Contact Center Tel. (+91) 9029304141 (10 am. To 8 pm. IST)

(Only for international patients seeking treatment in India)