What is Myopia?

Back in kindergarten, I remember squinting and craning my neck to try and see the pictures during story time. No matter how hard I tried, I could not sort out the colorful illustrations. It did not take long to determine that I needed glasses. Turns out, the cause was myopia, which is just a fancy term for nearsightedness.

According to the American Optometric Association, myopia or nearsightedness is a visual condition where close objects are seen clearly, but objects farther away appear blurred. This condition affects close to 30 percent of the U.S. population.

The first and most important step toward correction is to contact your local optometrist and schedule an eye exam. Your doctor can help prevent vision from getting worse, correct the condition, and identify any other health issues related to visual symptoms. Then, glasses or contacts can be prescribed to help alleviate blurry vision and enhance clear site. Nearsightedness and farsightedness are two of the most common eye conditions that warrant a prescription for glasses.

Alternate actions to correct myopia include laser procedures and refractive therapy. Laser procedures can help correct adult cases of nearsightedness. This procedure reshapes the cornea allowing for clearer vision. Refractive therapy is a non-surgical process that requires a series of rigid contact lenses to gradually reform the cornea.

Myopia is very common  and can be easily alleviated with a quick eye exam. Visit a local Dr. Tavel location if you or a family member notices blurry vision.