Doctors call it myopia!

Don’t worry you are not alone, and in this article we will shed more light on this common condition.

How Nearsightedness happens?

The eye has a specific shape , that allows light rays to fall exactly on the retina after it passed through the cornea then , lens , vitreous body and finally on the retina.

If any changes happen to the cornea ( gets too curved), Or to the eyeball ( becomes elongated) then the light that passes will not fall properly on the retina but instead , it will focus in front of  it.

This causes blurred vision or as doctors call it: a refractive error.

Nearsightedness Symptoms:

Normally, the major symptom is blurred vision

But it may also present with;

• Squinting
• Headaches
• Eye fatigue and strain
• Or children complaining of having troubles reading off the schools’ board.

Nearsightedness Diagnosis:

A simple eye exam can easily detect if you suffer from nearsightedness.

Nearsightedness Treatment:

First step of treatment is glasses and contact lenses.

A negative number is written in your prescription for the glasses, which indicates the weakness if your vision.

Meaning that -04.00 is worse than -2.00!

These special glasses will help the light focus back on the retina allowing clearer and sharper vision.

But glasses and contact lenses are only temporary solutions for the problem and have many disadvantages

The best method is corrective surgeries

PRK: photorefractive keratectomy, it is a surgery where laser is used to flatten the middle layer of the cornea, so light rays can fall on the retina not before it.

LASIK: another laser is used to create a flap on the cornea to sculpt its shape using another type of laser then puts the flap back

Femtolasik: the latest and most advanced surgery that allows altering corneal layers without creating the thin flap

**read more about refractive surgeries through this link**

Checkups:

As nearsightedness has a genetic origin, it best to start regular checkups in early childhood.

It may stop progressing after puberty, but not always.

Regular annual checkups is advised to make sure your vision is always 6/6!