Myopia
Myopia, the technical term for nearsightedness, causes difficulty seeing
faraway things, such as road signs and other distant objects. The condition
occurs when the eyeball is slightly longer than usual from front to
back, causing light rays to focus at a point in front of the retina.
Roughly one-third of the population is affected by myopia, which runs
in families and usually appears during childhood. Myopia can stabilize,
but can also worsen with age. Prescription changes are common among
people with myopia.
Early warning signs of myopia include headaches, eyestrain, squinting
and fatigue. These symptoms encourage a visit to an eye doctor for an
initial eye exam or signal the need for a stronger prescription in already
myopic people.
Myopia can be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses or refractive
surgery, which has the ability to completely eliminate symptoms of myopia.
Different types of refractive surgery have been successful in treating
myopia: photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), which removes a layer of
corneal tissue; and LASIK, the most common surgery, which removes corneal
tissue through a flap in the cornea, which is then dropped back into
place. Two non-surgical procedures, orthokeratology and corneal refractive
therapy, allow for the wear of special corneal lenses to correct the
misshapen cornea.
For more information about myopia, please contact us. Select
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