Understanding Myopia: What It Is and Why It Matters

Myopia, commonly known as short-sightedness or nearsightedness, is a condition where nearby objects appear clear, while things in the distance can look blurry. This could include road signs, a television screen, a presentation screen at work or a classroom whiteboard.

What is myopia?

In a normal eye, light focuses directly on the retina, producing a clear image.

In a myopic eye, the eyeball is usually longer than normal, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead. This results in blurry distance vision.

Some of the common symptoms are: 

l  Squinting

l  Frequent eye rubbing

l  Headaches or eye strain

What causes myopia?

There is no single cause of myopia. It can develop due to a combination of factors, including:

· Family history: Having one or both parents with myopia can increase the likelihood of developing it. However, myopia can still develop even if your parents have perfect eyesight.

· Eye growth: As children grow, their eyes grow too. If the eyeball grows longer than normal, myopia can develop or increase.

· Near work: Spending long periods on close-up activities such as reading, studying or using digital devices may be associated with a higher risk.

· Less outdoor time: Spending more time outdoors has been associated with a lower risk of developing myopia.

Do screens cause myopia?

Not necessarily. There is no clear proof that screens alone directly cause myopia. However, long periods of screen use often involve prolonged close-up work and less time outdoors.

A simple habit is to take a 5-minute break to look into the distance after every 30 minutes of close-up work.

What about high myopia?

High myopia is commonly defined as -6.00 dioptres or more. Higher levels of myopia are associated with an increased risk of eye conditions later in life, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts and myopic macular degeneration.

This does not mean everyone with high myopia will develop these conditions, but it does make regular eye checks and monitoring important.

Can myopia be controlled?

Myopia is usually corrected with prescription glasses or contact lenses. Wearing your prescribed glasses does not make your myopia worse or cause your prescription to increase. Glasses are simply an optical aid that helps focus light correctly so you can see clearly.

Your prescription may still change over time, especially while the eyes are growing, but this is due to the progression of myopia and other contributing factors, not because you wear your glasses regularly.

There are also myopia-management options designed to help slow its progression. These include specially designed myopia-control spectacle lenses, certain contact lenses and clinical treatments such as low-dose atropine.

Myopia-control spectacle lenses are different from regular single-vision lenses. They are designed to provide clear vision while also helping to slow the progression of myopia in suitable individuals.

Keep an eye on your myopia

Myopia can change over time, especially while the eyes are still growing. If you have noticed changes in your vision, your prescription has been increasing, or you would like to learn more about myopia-control spectacle lenses, visit us for an eye check and speak with our team about your vision needs.

Understanding myopia is the first step towards managing it.