Many people worldwide suffer from vision problems that affect their quality of life and eye health. You may be among them if you struggle with blurry vision. Specifically, you may have myopia if you cannot see things at a distance.

What is Myopia?

Myopia, also called nearsightedness, is a common vision problem affecting individuals worldwide. It is a refractive error where close objects look clear while those far away appear blurry. It occurs due to the eye’s inability to focus light correctly on the retina.

Causes of Myopia

Myopia has no single cause. But generally, it is attributed to environmental and genetic factors. Studies show that children can develop myopia if the condition runs in their families. 

Environmental factors like reading influence myopia progression. Protracted computer use or writing can increase your risk of developing nearsightedness.

Myopia Progression

Myopia or nearsightedness starts during childhood. It progresses until the late teen years or early adulthood. Its rate of progression varies from one individual to the other. It is vital to note that nearsightedness can stabilize. It can stop completely or slow down.

Myopia Diagnosis

A comprehensive eye examination performed by an eye doctor can diagnose myopia. Your eye specialist will use a phoropter to measure your eye’s refractive error. The device determines the lens power necessary for myopia correction. The eye doctor performs other tasks like retinal imaging to examine if you have eye conditions contributing to nearsightedness.

Treatment of Myopia

Prescription contact lenses or eyeglasses are the most common myopia treatment used. They help correct the eye’s refractive error and improve the visual clarity of objects at a distance. Your eye specialist may also recommend surgery like PRK or LASIK for some cases. These procedures can help correct myopia by reshaping your cornea.

There has been a growing interest in using specialty contacts in recent years to help manage myopia progression. These lenses control the light entering your eye and alter visual signals transferred to your brain, slowing or stopping myopia progression in particular cases.

Myopia Research Advances 

Various advancements in treating and understanding myopia have happened in recent years. Current research explores medications like atropine in myopia management and slowing its progression. It relaxes your eye’s focusing muscles. They have proven effective in helping with slowing myopia progression in children.

Progressive addition lenses, or PASLS, have been shown to slow myopia progression. They are like conventional eyeglasses, but their strength reduces gradually towards the lens’s bottom. The design slows myopia progression and helps deal with close-up work.

Understanding myopia progression and its cause is vital for effective management and treatment. Living a healthy lifestyle is crucial. Spend time engaging in outdoor activities to manage myopia. Routine eye exams are ideal for maintaining your eye health and slowing the progression of myopia.

For more about myopia, visit Williams Eye Care at our office in Frisco or Fairview, Texas. Call (972) 335-9529 or (972) 549-4255 to book an appointment today.