Myopia is the inability to see things clearly unless they're relatively close to your eyes. Also called nearsightedness or shortsightedness, myopia is the most common refractive error among children and young adult.
It occurs when the eye grows too long from front to back, causing light to come to a focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. Other contributing factors include a cornea that is too curved for the length of the eyeball, or a lens inside the eye that is too thick.
Distant objects and your driving vision will be blurry if you have myopia, but you still will be able to see nearby objects clearly. This is why the condition is also called “nearsightedness."
Myopia typically starts to develop during childhood and can progress gradually or rapidly. The most common symptoms of myopia are squinting, eye strain, headaches and fatigue.
Nearsightedness is the most common vision problem. Currently, about 1.5 billion people worldwide (nearly a quarter of the global population) are nearsighted. Myopia is especially prevalent in East Asia, where 70 to 80 percent of the residents of some countries are affected.
And the rate of myopia worldwide is increasing rapidly. It's estimated that by the year 2050, roughly half of the world population will be nearsighted.
Researchers aren't sure why myopia is becoming so common, but many eye doctors attribute it to eye fatigue from close-up work including reading, studying, using computers and portable electronic devices (including tablets and smartphones) and reduced time spent outdoors.
Myopia also tends to run in families. Researchers have discovered at least 24 genetic risk factors for myopia.
There are many options for treating myopia, the most common being glasses. Nearsighted glasses can sometimes distort vision, especially at higher prescriptions, and therefore many people opt for contact lenses. Most people use the soft type, but occasionally they elect for rigid gas-permeable. Another alternative to myopia glasses is a type of rigid gas-permeable contact lens that is worn overnight. It’s called orthokeratology, and it changes the shape of the cornea during the night to minimize the need for glasses during the day.
If you’re looking to permanently treat your nearsightedness, myopia surgery is an option. The most common is laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis or LASIK. In LASIK, the surgeon creates a thin corneal flap of tissue, lifts it, and applies a laser to flatten the cornea. The flap is then replaced and smoothed out. The recovery process is very quick after LASIK, as the flap helps to protect the tissue as it heals. Because of the quick and predictable healing after LASIK, both eyes are usually done at the same time.
Some people are better candidates for another refractive surgery called photorefractive keratectomy, or PRK. In PRK, the outermost corneal epithelial cells are removed. Then, the laser is applied to flatten the cornea. A bandage contact lens is then placed to protect the cornea as it heals. PRK takes a little longer to heal, so generally, one eye is done at a time.
LASIK and PRK are the most common surgical options when it comes to treating myopia, but not every person qualifies for surgery. Luckily, there are more and more choices available today. For higher levels of myopia, a Vision ICL procedure or a Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) may be an option.
While myopia is certainly an inconvenience, it is not a disability! If you’re tired of blurry vision, talk to your doctor about the best way to correct your nearsightedness. If you’re interested in exploring surgical options to correct your myopia, schedule your complimentary LASIK consultation today.
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