A guide to Myopia

Images are created on the retina as the eye refracts and bends light when it enters through the cornea. Problems with your eyesight are a result of the light bending improperly. This can be caused by a deformed cornea. Images are not formed properly on the retina and your vision will not be clear. The bending and the focusing of the light on your retina are referred to as refraction. If there is an error in the bending and the focusing of light then there will be refractive errors.

What are some of the symptoms of myopia?

Myopia is also known as short sightedness, near sightedness, and short sight. It is a refractive error and it makes it difficult to see objects from afar. You will not have trouble focusing on objects up close. People with myopia do not have trouble reading although they have trouble looking at road signs and stop lights.

The severity of myopia differs from one person to another. There are people with slight short-sightedness and may only need to wear glasses or contact lenses when they drive whilst other have more severe myopia and are required to wear glasses or contact lenses at all times. The severity of myopia can be measured in dioptres. If you are under three dioptres, you are still in the range of mild myopia. If you are between three to six dioptres then you have a moderate degree of myopia. If you are already above six dioptres then you have a high degree of myopia.

What causes myopia?

A lot of researchers and experts believe that myopia is inherited from parents although for a more concrete rule of thumb, if myopia has occurred in your family then there is more likelihood that you will get it. It can actually be diagnosed and identified during the early years of childhood. If the cornea is too steeply curved or if the eye is longer than usual then the eye will not be able to bend light properly. This will result in blurry images.

What are the risks associated with myopia?

Myopia can get worse during teenage years but will eventually stabilize when growth has stopped. If myopia becomes worse during adulthood then the condition is referred to as a myopic creep.

People with myopia are at a greater risk of getting glaucoma and totally losing their vision. Since there is a deformation of the eye, there will be stress on the retina. Your retina can become damaged or detached and is a symptom of severe myopia already.

How is myopia diagnosed?

People who strain their eyes when they try to look at objects at a distance and people who are experiencing headaches often must have their eyes checked. You will notice this when you get tired easily when you drive or when you play some sports. It is always a good idea to have your eyes checked because this can diagnose current problems with your vision and it can also spot other conditions related to your overall health. Your doctor may spot signs of diabetes or high blood pressure and this is an opportune time to address such issues before they get worse. If children are always frowning or squinting then there is likelihood that they are short sighted. You can check if the child has a hard time watching television or playing videogames.

According to the College of Optometrists, eye tests are recommended every two years and they should be more frequent as age increases. Consult your general practitioner or your optometrist as often as possible. Myopia can be diagnosed using a Snellen chart.

How is myopia treated?

Eye glasses and contact lenses can be used to treat myopia. They will refract the light before they enter the eye and fix the focusing before the light reaches the eye. Eye glasses are highly recommended for children and for older people because contact lenses are much harder to use. Contact lenses are also generally pricier than eye glasses. There are several ways of stabilizing myopia through treatment although it can not be completely cured.

During photorefractive keratectomy or PRK, a laser is used to remove a layer of corneal tissue. This will flatten the cornea and it will allow light rays to focus closer or even on the retina itself. In a laser assisted in situ keratomileusis or LASIK, a flap is cut on the top of the cornea and then a laser will remove the corneal tissue. The flap is put back into place and allowed to heal. This is the most popular refractive procedure today.

In orthokeratology, special contact lenses are worn in order to reshape the cornea. This will correct the myopia over time and it does not involve any surgery. The cornea will retain its shape even when the lenses are removed so you will be able to see clearly even without the lenses.

Corneal rings can be implanted in your eyes in order to correct mild cases of myopia. These corneal rings will alter the shape of the cornea so that you can see properly. You can remove these rings anytime you want and they can be adjusted according to your prescriptions. You can leave these corneal rings in place if you wish to do so as well.