Myopia or near-sightedness
What is myopia?
Myopia, often called short-sightedness or near-sightedness, is one of the most common eye conditions in the world. The condition results in things faraway appearing blurry. It’s usually due to the shape of your eyeball being unable to focus on light coming into your eye. By 2050, it is thought half of the global population (a billion people) will be myopic.
Eye conditions How to treat myopia?
Different types of myopia
There are different types and degrees of short sightedness, including mild myopia, severe myopia, degenerate myopia, progressive myopia and night myopia.
Symptoms of myopia
If you are beginning to develop myopia, you may notice a few symptoms such as squinting, eye strain, or perhaps headaches.
If you notice yourself squinting your eyes to see more clearly when viewing objects at a distance, or struggling to read road signs, this might indicate that you have myopia.
Signs and symptoms you may experience with myopia:
- Clear vision up close, trouble seeing clearly at a distance
- Blurred vision affecting reading at a distance, e.g. when driving
- Choosing to sit closer to the TV for better vision
- Choosing to sit at the front of the classroom for better vision
- Holding your books and other reading materials closer to your face
- Squinting to see more clearly at a distance
- Difficulty seeing clearly in traffic, especially at night.
Near-sightedness may begin to develop around the age of 10. Parents can become aware of this by monitoring the everyday behaviour of their child: sitting close to the TV or reading with their nose almost touching the book. If this behaviour does not change after it has been pointed out, it is advisable to have an eye examination. It may be proven to be degenerative myopia, which is inherited and demands treatment.
Most of the time the degree of myopia stabilises around the age of 25. This includes not only low or mild myopia but high myopia especially. If you are diagnosed with degenerative myopia, unlike the other types of myopia, your symptoms will become worse with age.
It’s important to take note of these symptoms and have your eyes checked. Please visit one of our optometrists for an eye examination. Afterwards it is time to consider the best frames for myopia or a change in your daily reading behaviour.
Are you worried about myopia?
It’s always best to get these things checked, and our expert team are on hand to help..