Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness, or myopia, causes distant objects to seem distorted or blurry due to a shape irregularity in the eye. This is a common refractive error, and its symptoms often include headaches and fatigue from squinting the eyes or looking away for long periods.

Regular eye exams and checkups with your eye doctor can help with the early detection of refractive errors, such as nearsightedness.

Proper detection can help prevent vision loss and other complications. Treatment usually includes refractive corrections, such as prescription eyeglasses and contact lenses or lens insertion surgery.

Symptoms of Nearsightedness

Symptoms of nearsightedness may include the following:

Difficulty seeing faraway objects
Items that are closer seem clear
Headache and fatigue
Squinting
Feeling tired when driving, playing sports, or looking afar for a prolonged period of time

Types of Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness or myopia is a common refractive error. In rare cases, more severe types of this condition may develop, including:

High nearsightedness or myopia: This type of nearsightedness occurs when it is inherited, and a child’s eyeballs develop abnormal growth. High nearsightedness can progressively worsen until the age of 20. This type of nearsightedness can increase the risk of developing cataracts, retinal detachments, and glaucoma.
Degenerative nearsightedness or myopia: This type of nearsightedness is the rarest one and develops in early childhood. It progressively damages vision and can cause legal blindness. This condition is also known as pathological myopia or progressive myopia.

Causes of Nearsightedness

Your eye works similarly to a camera, where the cornea and lens focus on the light that objects reflect to form images.

The cornea is the dome-shaped surface in the front part of your eye, and the lens is inside the eye. This structure bends the light that passes through the pupil to focus the image.

In a healthy eye, the cornea and lens have a curved surface to refract light. With a nearsighted person, the oval-eye shape prevents light from passing through the eye.

This shape abnormality causes images to become blurry and unable to focus at long distances.

Diagnosis of Nearsightedness

Refractive errors like farsightedness, nearsightedness, and astigmatism can be diagnosed by performing a comprehensive eye exam and multiple tests to determine the health state of your vision. This typically includes:

A visual acuity test that measures your vision at different distances.
A dilated eye exam that involves eye drops to dilate and examine your pupils.
A slit-lamp exam uses a bright light microscope to examine the cornea, iris, and lens.
A refractive test that involves looking through a series of lenses to determine the right prescription to correct your refractive condition.

Treatment for Nearsightedness

Multiple options are available for refractive corrections. This includes prescription eyeglasses, contact lenses, and lens insertion surgery.

The right approach to your case of nearsightedness will depend on your individual needs and lifestyle. Talking to your doctor and performing regular eye exams will ensure you choose the best refractive treatment for your condition. Options may include:

Prescription eyeglasses: Bifocal and progressive lenses can help correct near vision problems.
Contact lenses: Multifocal contact lenses, just like eyeglasses, can help correct vision problems. This is a commonly chosen option for people who do not want to wear frames.
Surgery: For people who do not want to wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses and whose vision problems require it, surgical procedures like implanting an artificial lens may be appropriate.
Vision therapy: To improve the ability to focus, your eye doctor can also provide specific vision exercises.

Nearsightedness Treatment in New York

EyesNY offers treatment to help patients treat nearsightedness. Our specialized team of ophthalmologists is ready to assess your needs and give you the high-quality vision care you deserve.

We work with cutting-edge technology to identify the root cause of your condition and create personalized treatment plans. Our caring staff is ready to welcome you and meet your ocular health and vision needs.

Our comprehensive eye care services include routine and medical eye exams to perform prescription tests.

If you’d like a consultation or more information, call us or request an appointment online. You can also visit any of our clinic locations around New York, including Malta, Clifton Park, Troy, Saratoga Springs, and Queensbury.