Myopia, or nearsightedness, simply means that you are able to see objects up close clearly, while those in the distance are blurry. This is due to the fact that light rays entering the eye do not focus correctly, usually due to the cornea (the clear layer of tissue at the front of the eye) being too curved or the eye itself being elongated.
Nearsightedness is a very common vision condition affecting nearly 30 percent of the U.S. population and is often inherited from our parents or grandparents. Generally, nearsightedness first occurs in school-age children.
As the eye continues to grow throughout childhood, Myopia typically progresses until about age 20 and then stabilizes. Environmental influences, near work, health issues, are also thought to play a role in the development of myopia later in life.
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The degree of myopia present is detected through a comprehensive eye examination. Depending on your age, glasses or contact lenses may be prescribed to correct your vision. Another option might be a procedure such as LASIK, or one of the other many refractive procedures available at TriCounty Eye Institute.
LASIK is accomplished by using a highly focused laser beam to reshape the cornea, or the front surface of the eye. Patients who are more severely nearsighted can be treated with today’s advanced intraocular lenses, or IOL’s as they are commonly called.
