Myopia

Also known as short-sightedness, myopia is the most common refractive eye error.

A person with myopia has difficulty seeing objects in the distance, while close-up objects are seen clearly. For example, they cannot recognise faces or read signs in the distance until they are up close.

What causes myopia?

 
Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long and/or the cornea is too curved.

This shape causes light rays to focus at a point in front of the retina rather than on the retina itself.

This results in blurred vision when trying to focus on faraway objects.
 

What are the symptoms of myopia?

 
The symptoms of myopia include:

• blurry vision when trying to focus on distant objects
• headaches caused by eyestrain
• fatigue after driving or playing sports
• the need to squint to see more clearly
• difficulty seeing long distances while driving, especially at night.

If you find yourself experiencing the above symptoms and yet can clearly see close-up objects, like your computer or book, then it is likely that you have myopia.