Nearsightedness - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic

Nearsightedness (myopia) is a common vision condition in which near objects appear clear, but objects farther away look blurry. COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforNearsightednessSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Print Overview Nearsightedness Openpop-updialogbox Close Nearsightedness Nearsightedness Withtypicalvision,animageissharplyfocusedontotheretina.Innearsightedness(myopia),thepointoffocusisinfrontoftheretina,makingdistantobjectsappearblurry. Nearsightedness(myopia)isacommonvisionconditioninwhichnearobjectsappearclear,butobjectsfartherawaylookblurry.Itoccurswhentheshapeoftheeye—ortheshapeofcertainpartsoftheeye—causeslightraystobend(refract)inaccurately.Lightraysthatshouldbefocusedonnervetissuesatthebackoftheeye(retina)arefocusedinfrontoftheretina. Nearsightednessusuallydevelopsduringchildhoodandadolescence,anditusuallybecomesmorestablebetweentheagesof20and40.Myopiatendstoruninfamilies. Abasiceyeexamcanconfirmnearsightedness.Youcancompensatefortheblurryvisionwitheyeglasses,contactlensesorrefractivesurgery.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicGuidetoBetterVision SymptomsNearsightednesssignsorsymptomsmayinclude: Blurryvisionwhenlookingatdistantobjects Theneedtosquintorpartiallyclosetheeyelidstoseeclearly Headaches Eyestrain Childrenmayhavedifficultyseeingthingsonwhiteboardsorscreenprojectionsintheclassroom.Youngerchildrenmightnotexpressdifficultyseeing,buttheymayhavethefollowingbehaviorsthatsuggestdifficultyseeing: Persistentlysquint Seemunawareofdistantobjects Blinkexcessively Rubtheireyesfrequently Sitclosetothetelevision Adultswithmyopiamaynoticedifficultyreadingstreetsignsorsignsinastore.Somepeoplemayexperienceblurryvisionindimlight,aswithnighttimedriving,eveniftheyseeclearlyindaylight.Thisconditioniscallednightmyopia. WhentoseeadoctorMakeanappointmentwithaneyecarespecialistifyourchildexhibitsanysignsofvisionproblemsorifateacherreportspossibleproblems. Makeanappointmentforyourselfifyounoticeachangeinyourvision,havedifficultyperformingtaskssuchasdriving,orfindthequalityofyourvisiondetractsfromyourenjoymentofactivities. Seekemergencymedicalcareifyouexperienceanyofthefollowing: Suddenappearanceofmanyfloaters—tinyspecksorlinesthatseemtodriftthroughyourfieldofvision Flashesoflightinoneorbotheyes Acurtain-likegrayshadowcoveringallorpartofyourfieldofvision Ashadowinyourouterorsidevision(peripheralvision) Thesearewarningssignsoftheretinabecomingdetachedfromthebackoftheeye.Thisconditionisamedicalemergencyrequiringprompttreatment.Significantnearsightednessisassociatedwithanincreasedriskofretinaldetachment. Regulareyeexams Bothchildrenandadultsmaynotbeawareofproblemswithvisionorchangesthathappengradually.TheAmericanAcademyofOphthalmologyrecommendsregularvisionscreeningstoensureatimelydiagnosisandtreatment. Childrenandadolescents Yourchild'spediatricianorotherhealthcareproviderwillconductrelativelysimpleexamstocheckthehealthofyourchild'seyesatbirth,between6and12monthsofage,andbetween12and36monthsofage.Ifthereareanyproblems,youmaybereferredtoamedicaldoctorspecializingineyehealthandcare(ophthalmologist). Visionscreeningsareteststocheckforvisionproblems.Ascreeningtestmaybeperformedbyapediatrician,ophthalmologist,optometristorothertrainedprovider.Visionscreeningsareoftenofferedatschoolsorcommunitycenters. Therecommendedtimesforscreeningareasfollows: Atleastoncebetweenages3and5 Beforekindergarten,usuallyage5or6 Annuallythroughtheendofhighschool Ifaproblemisidentifiedinascreeningtest,thenyou'llneedtoscheduleacompleteeyeexamwithanoptometristorophthalmologist. Adults TheAmericanAcademyofOphthalmologyrecommendsthathealthyadultswithnoknownproblemswithvisionoreyediseaseshouldgetacompleteeyeexamonthefollowingschedule: Atleastoncebetweenages20and29 Atleasttwicebetweenages30and39 Every2to4yearsfromages40to54 Every1to3yearsfromages55to64 Every1to2yearsafterage65 Ifyouhavediabetes,afamilyhistoryofeyedisease,highbloodpressure,orotherrisksofheartorvasculardisease,you'lllikelyneedmore-regulareyeexams.Also,you'lllikelyneedmoreregularexamsifyoualreadyhaveprescriptionglassesorcontactsorifyou'vehadsurgeryforvisioncorrection.Yourhealthcareprovideroreyecarespecialistwillrecommendhowoftentogetanexam. RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic CausesYoureyehastwopartsthatfocusimages: Thecorneaistheclear,dome-shapedfrontsurfaceofyoureye. ThelensisaclearstructureaboutthesizeandshapeofanM&M'scandy. Inorderforyoutosee,lighthastopassthroughthecorneaandlens.Theybend(refract)thelight,sothatthelightisfocuseddirectlyonthenervetissues(retina)atthebackofyoureye.Thesetissuestranslatelightintosignalssenttothebrain,whichenablesyoutoperceiveimages. RefractiveerrorsNearsightednessisarefractiveerror.Thisproblemoccurswhentheshapeorconditionofthecornea—ortheshapeoftheeyeitself—resultsinaninaccuratefocusingofthelightpassingintotheeye. Nearsightednessusuallyresultsfromtheeyebeingtoolongoroval-shapedratherthanround.Itmayalsoresultfromthecurveofthecorneabeingtoosteep.Thesechangesresultinlightrayscomingtoapointinfrontoftheretinaandcrossing.Themessagessentfromtheretinatothebrainareperceivedasblurry. Otherrefractiveerrorsinclude: Farsightedness(hyperopia).Thisoccurswhenyoureyeballisshorterthanatypicaleyeoryourcorneaiscurvedtoolittle.Somepeoplemayperceivedistantobjectsassomewhatclear,butnearobjectsappearblurry.Forsomepeoplewithfarsightedness,objectsareblurryatalldistances. Astigmatism.Thisoccurswhenyourcorneaorlensiscurvedmoresteeplyinonedirectionthaninanother.Visionisdistortedorblurryatalldistances. RiskfactorsCertainriskfactorsmayincreasethelikelihoodofdevelopingnearsightedness,suchasthefollowing: Genetics.Nearsightednesstendstoruninfamilies.Ifoneofyourparentsisnearsighted,yourriskofdevelopingtheconditionisincreased.Theriskishigherifbothparentsarenearsighted. Prolongedclose-upactivities.Prolongedreadingorotherclose-upactivitiesareassociatedwithanincreasedriskofnearsightedness. Screentime.Studieshaveshownthatchildrenwhousecomputersorsmartdevicesforlongperiodshaveagreaterriskofdevelopingnearsightedness. Environmentalconditions.Somestudiessupporttheideathatalackoftimespentoutdoorsmayincreasetheriskofnearsightedness. ComplicationsNearsightednessisassociatedwithavarietyofcomplicationsfrommildtosevere,suchas: Poorschoolexperiences.Childrenwithmyopiaorothervisionproblemscanexperiencedelaysinreadingorotheracademicskills,difficultywithsocialinteractions,andpoorself-esteem. Reducedqualityoflife.Uncorrectednearsightednesscanpreventyoufromperformingdailytaskswellorenjoyingactivities. Eyestrain.Uncorrectednearsightednessmaycausepersistenteyestrainandheadaches. Impairedsafety.Yoursafetyandthesafetyofothersmaybejeopardizedifyouhaveanuncorrectedvisionproblem.Thiscouldbeespeciallyseriousifyouaredrivingacaroroperatingheavyequipment. Othereyeproblems.Severenearsightednessputsyouatanincreasedriskofretinaldetachment,glaucoma,cataractsandotherseriouseyeconditions. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Diagnosis&treatment Sept.16,2022 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences AskMayoExpert.Refractiveerrors(adults).MayoClinic;2021. Nearsightedness:Whatismyopia?AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/myopia-nearsightedness.AccessedJan.26,2022. MianSI.Visualimpairmentinadults:Refractivedisordersandpresbyopia.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedJan.25,2022. CoatsDK.Visionscreeningandassessmentininfantsandchildren.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedJan.25,2022. Overviewofrefractiveerror.MerckManualProfessionalVersion.https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/eye-disorders/refractive-error/overview-of-refractive-error.AccessedJan.26,2022. Nightvision.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/anatomy/night-vision.AccessedJan.26,2022. Detachedretina.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/detached-torn-retina.AccessedJan.28,2022. Eyescreeningforchildren.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/children-eye-screening.AccessedJan.26,2022. Comprehensiveeyeexams.AmericanOptometricAssociation.https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/caring-for-your-eyes/eye-exams.AccessedJan.28,2022. Eyeexamandvisiontestingbasics.AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/eye-exams-101.AccessedJan.26,2022. Farsightedness:Whatishyperopia?AmericanAcademyofOphthalmology.https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/hyperopia-farsightedness.AccessedJan.28,2022. Schoolperformancebridledbypoorvision,visualdisorders.AmericanOptometricAssociation.https://www.aoa.org/news/clinical-eye-care/health-and-wellness/reading-proficiency-and-eye-exams.AccessedJan.31,2022. BowerKS.Laserrefractivesurgery.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedJan.25,2022. AskMayoExpert.Refractivelasersurgery(adult).MayoClinic;2021. CoatsDK,etal.Refractiveerrorsinchildren.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedJan.25,2022. ForemanJ,etal.Associationbetweendigitalsmartdeviceuseandmyopia:Asystematicreviewandmeta-analysis.TheLancetDigitalHealth.2021;doi:10.1016/S2589-7500(21)00135-7. Related Nearsightedness AssociatedProcedures Eyeexam LASIKeyesurgery Products&Services Book:MayoClinicGuidetoBetterVision NearsightednessSymptoms&causesDiagnosis&treatmentDoctors&departments Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. 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