Myopia/Short-Sightedness Meaning – Good Vision For Life

Myopia, or short-sightedness as it is commonly known, is an eye condition where you do not see distant objects clearly. Myopia is a very common eye condition that usually begins in school-age children and can continue to progress until the eye stops growing. Adults can also develop myopia.

About Myopia

Myopia is also called short-sightedness or near-sightedness. This blurry long-distance vision affects one in four Australians and is on the rise.

Myopia is an eye condition involving abnormal elongation of the eyeball or curvature of the cornea, the window of the eye. It means you do not see distant objects clearly and usually begins in school-age children and can continue to progress until the eye stops growing. Teenagers and adults can also develop myopia.

Short-sighted people have trouble seeing distant objects clearly such as a blackboard or words on television. This can make it hard for affected people to read road signs, play ball games and recognise people in the distance. They can usually see well for close up tasks such as reading, computer or phone use.

Some people don’t realise they can’t see clearly in the distance but an eye examination with your optometrist will test for myopia. Your optometrist will tell you if you need to wear glasses or contact lenses all the time or some of the time, depending on the severity of myopia and according to your lifestyle. In some instances, you may only need them for some activities such as driving, going to the movies or in the classroom.

Myopia usually begins in school-age children and means they cannot see distant objects clearly, such as a blackboard.

The condition is very common, affecting about 6.3 million Australians, according to The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Eye Health web report, dated August 30, 2019. The report also revealed the prevalence of myopia is increasing and has risen from 22 to 25 per cent of the population in the ten years from 2007-2008 to 2017-2018. This information is based on reported data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017-2018 National Health Survey.

Myopia is also increasing worldwide with one-third of the world currently myopic and hot spots including East and South East Asia having very high rates especially among young people. Alarming research predicts that by the year 2050, half the world will be myopic if current trends continue. This is concerning because this could boost blindness rates globally as those with higher levels of myopia have an increased risk of potentially blinding eye conditions later in life including retinal detachment, myopic macular degeneration, cataract and glaucoma.

The International Myopia Institute, established at the Brien Holden Vision Institute in Sydney, has been established to help fight this looming epidemic, and advance myopia research and education to prevent future blindness.

Looming epidemic. Prevalence of myopia worldwide, 2010-2050

Source: The International Myopia Institute

Short-sightedness is also becoming more common in children worldwide with the prevalence among Australian 12-year-olds doubling between 2005 and 2011. The average age for developing myopia is also reducing – in 1983 it was 11 years old, whereas in 2000 it was eight years old. This is also a worry because in younger children, myopia progresses more quickly as their eyes grow at a faster rate, leading to higher levels of myopia, stronger glasses and more eye health risks when these children become adults.

While your risk of developing myopia increases if you have a myopic parent, the good news is that some activities such as being outside exposing your eyes to natural light while you are a child can help prevent myopia and slow progression. Optometrists promote the ‘more green time, less screen time’ message to parents to encourage them to get their children off screens and outside as a proactive approach against myopia. Some treatments can also delay progression and help stop it from worsening.

Apart from wearing glasses to correct vision, treatments have been developed to help stop myopia from worsening and progressing. These include atropine eye drops, ortho-keratology contact lenses worn overnight that reshape the cornea during sleep, and other daily disposable contact lenses worn during the day which slow progression. There is even an atropine mist spray in development.

Wearing glasses is a way to correct vision in those who have myopia

Image credit: Rene Asmussen, Pexels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Myopia?

Myopia, or short-sightedness as it is commonly known, is an eye condition where you do not see distant objects clearly. Myopia is a very common eye condition that usually begins in school-age children and can continue to progress until the eye stops growing. Adults can also develop myopia.

What Causes Myopia?

If the clear window at the front of the eye called the cornea is too curved, or your eye is too long, light that enters the eye will not focus correctly on the retina at the back of the eye. How does this occur? Research has shown that the development of myopia is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, but an increase in myopia in recent years indicates that environmental factors are probably more prevalent. Research has shown that adequate daily exposure to sunlight can curb the onset of myopia.

Can Myopia Be Cured?

Despite ongoing research, a cure for myopia has not yet been found. Properly prescribed glasses or contact lenses will help you to see clearly but will not cure your shortsightedness. Some eye surgery techniques can correct myopia in some people and eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses.

What Are The Treatments?

See section above but these include glasses, specially designed contact lenses and eye-drops to reduce progression.

Will I Have To Wear Glasses?

Your optometrist will tell you if you need to wear glasses full-time or part-time to enable you to see clearly. Sometimes you will need them only for some activities such as driving, going to the movies or in the classroom.

Many short-sighted people use both glasses and contact lenses to help them see clearly. Glasses are used not only to correct vision, they also make a fashion statement and come in many shapes, sizes and colours. Contact lenses are worn on the eyes. They may provide better vision and are great for people with an active lifestyle.

How Can I Tell If I'm Short-Sighted and How Will It Affect Me?

Short-sighted people will see distant objects as a blur. Some people do not realise that they cannot see clearly but an eye examination by an optometrist will test for myopia.

Your optometrist will tell you if you need to wear glasses all the time or some of the time, depending on the severity of myopia and according to your lifestyle. In some instances, you may only need them for some activities such as driving, going to the movies or in the classroom.

Optometrists use an eye chart to test your visual acuity, or how well you see in the distance, and place different lenses in front of your eyes to find the lenses that give you the clearest vision on the eye chart. Using these results and other tests, your optometrist can tell if you are short-sighted.

How Can I Tell If My Child Is Short-Sighted?

A comprehensive eye examination is the only sure way of determining whether your child’s vision is normal. Some clues to myopia in a child are:

  • Screwing up their eyes to see distant objects
  • Difficulty reading the blackboard at school or TV at home
  • Poor posture while reading
  • Lack of interest in playing outdoor games

Australian optometrists Kate and Paul Gifford have developed the My Kids Vision website, including a free online tool that helps parents assess and manage myopia risks for their kids. The survey asks six questions then gives advice on your child’s risk of developing myopia and of myopia worsening.

Where Do I Get More Advice?

We recommend making an appointment with an optometrist for a comprehensive eye examination. Comprehensive eye examinations, at regular intervals starting from childhood, ensure that most eye conditions can be prevented or corrected. Eye examinations can also be an important tool for determining your overall health.

Use our Find an optometrist search function if you do not have an optometrist, or would like to find an optometrist close to where you live.

Myopia content first published: 01 September 2016 Reviewed date: 24 April 2020

 

 

 

 

 

Author: Luke Arundel, BAppSci (OPtom) Hons, FIACLE, FCCLSA, FBLSA, FBCLS, AdjAssProf University of Missouri St Louis, GCOT, CASA CO

Bio: Luke Arundel is Chief Clinical Officer of Optometry Australia. He graduated with Honours in Optometry from Queensland University of Technology in 1998 and has worked extensively in Australia and Ireland. He currently holds fellowships with the BCLA, CCLSA and IACLE and became an Adjunct Associat Professor of the University of Missouri, St Louis, USA in 2008. His professional interests include keratoconus, post-graft and scleral lens fitting, dry eye, ortho-keratology and paediatric contact lenses. He has worked in specialty contact lens practices in Brisbane and Melbourne and in the contact lens manufacturing field along with time in the public health and education sectors. Luke’s role at Optometry Australia sees him provide professional services assistance to members in audits, investigations and medico-legal matters along with leading development of resources and special projects.

LinkedIn profile.

Disclaimer: No information provided on the Good vision for life website is intended to constitute or substitute advice from visiting an optometrist. Many factors unknown to us may affect the applicability of any information on this website. You should seek appropriate personalised advice from a qualified optometrist about any eye health and vision conditions.