|
Myopia
is often called "nearsightedness". People with myopia
can see close objects clearly while objects farther away appear
blurred.
All
images that the eye can see have light rays that come from the
image and enter the eye to allow us to see. In normal vision,
light rays (depicted by the black lines in the diagrams) from
an object are bent by the cornea and lens at the front of the
eye so they focus on the retina, where the image is transmitted
to the brain for 20/20 vision (see diagram above).
In
myopia, the eye is too long causing the light rays to focus in
front of the retina (see diagram above). This causes a blurred
image and glasses are needed to help rays focus properly on the
retina so that a clear image can be seen.
|
 |
Myopia
is often caused by excessive lengthening of the eye during
childhood. In other words, the eye grows too long.
Recent
studies have shown that a parental history of myopia is
the strongest risk factor for the development and progression
of myopia. Close-up work, such as reading, computer work
and close television viewing may influence the development
of myopia.
|
|
There
are currently no approved drugs or devices to prevent myopia
from progressing. Children with myopia wear glasses or contact
lens to enable them to see distant objects clearly. Surgical
correction of myopia (RK, PRK and LASIK) is not available
for children because of the ongoing growth of the child's
eye.
|
|
Myopia
can preclude vocations such as airline pilots, firefighters
and in addition research has shown that people with myopia
are far more likely to develop sight-threatening medical
complications later in life.
For
example, myopic people are three times more likely to develop
glaucoma (high eye pressure) which can lead to vision loss
or blindness.
More
importantly, people with myopia more often develop retinal
detachment, which can lead to severe visual loss or blindness,
and requires surgery to reattach the retina. Retinal detachment
in people with mild myopia occurs eight times more often
than in people with normal vision. In people with severe
myopia, retinal detachment occurs 330 times more often.
|
|
