vision conditions

astigmatism | farsightedness | nearsightedness | presbyopia | 20-20 vision

Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness, or myopia, as it is medically termed, is a vision condition in which near objects are seen clearly but distant objects do not come into proper focus. Nearsightedness occurs if your eyeball is too long or the cornea has too much curvature. This causes the light entering your eye to focus incorrectly.

Nearsightedness is a very common vision condition that affects nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population. Some evidence supports the theory that nearsightedness is hereditary. There is also growing evidence that nearsightedness may be caused by the stress of too much close vision work. It normally first occurs in school age children. Since the eye continues to grow during childhood, nearsightedness generally develops before age 20.

A sign of nearsightedness is difficulty seeing distant objects like a movie or TV screen or chalkboard. A comprehensive optometric examination by Dr. Ni will include testing for nearsightedness. She may prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to optically correct nearsightedness by altering the way the light images enter your eyes. You may only need to wear them for certain activities, such as watching TV or driving a car, or they may need to be worn for all activities.

Refractive surgery or laser procedures are also possible treatments for nearsightedness, as is Corneal Refractive Therapy (CRT). Dr. Ni and our staff can discuss these options with you.