Myopia (Nearsightedness) Treatment– Belmont, MA

What Causes Myopia in the First Place?

Myopia is the result of a lengthened eyeball or an overly curved cornea. This affects the way the eye receives light, causing it to bend and concentrate in front of the retina instead of directly on it. Heredity is generally one of the biggest risk factors when it comes to myopia; if your parents were nearsighted, then there’s a good chance that you’ll be nearsighted as well. The condition usually manifests during childhood, but sometimes it doesn’t develop until the adult years.

Will Myopia Get Worse Over Time?

It varies from case to case, but generally, the answer depends on your age. For most people, myopia begins in childhood and grows worse during adolescence, but it stabilizes by early adulthood. This is because the eyes are still growing during childhood, but they’re completely developed by the time you reach the age of 20. As such, your vision generally won’t change much until you turn 40. It may appear to temporarily get worse due to changes on the surface of the cornea, such as dryness or an injury; treating these issues properly is key to making sure myopia doesn’t grow worse over time. If nearsightedness starts getting worse over the age of 60, it may be a sign that you have cataracts.

Is Untreated Myopia Dangerous?

Myopia has been known to cause headaches and fatigue in people when they try to focus their eyes. Also, it generally worsens vision to the point where you won’t be able to drive safely without your glasses or contact lenses. The most dangerous aspect of myopia, however, is that it can put you at a higher risk for retinal detachment, cataracts, and glaucoma; all of these conditions can result in blindness if not treated. Call our office immediately if you notice worrisome symptoms.

How Will I Know If My Child is Nearsighted?

Sometimes your child will let you know that they’re having trouble seeing things clearly. They might also develop a tendency to sit closer to screens or whiteboards so that they can see them properly. These are signs that you should set up an appointment at EyeSmile so that we can perform an eye exam. This will allow us to confirm whether your child has myopia and, if they do, determine the type of treatment that can be used to correct it. It’s better to deal with potential vision problems early before they start to interfere with your little one’s academic performance.

What’s the Difference Between Astigmatism and Myopia?

Myopia shares some similarities with astigmatism, which is a condition that results in vision being blurry. The main difference is that myopia mainly affects your ability to see things from far away. Meanwhile, astigmatism can make things look blurry regardless of distance.

Astigmatism and myopia are caused by different defects in the shape of the eye. While myopia occurs when the eyeball is longer than normal or has a cornea that curves too much, astigmatism is the result of an irregularly shaped cornea or lens.

Can Spending More Time Outside Protect My Child from Myopia?

There is research that indicates that children who don’t spend enough time outdoors may be more likely to develop myopia. For this reason, if you’re concerned about your little one becoming nearsighted, you should make sure that they spend some time out of the house every day. Eye doctors typically recommend around 80 to 100 minutes of outdoor time for kids on a daily basis.

How Common is Myopia?

In the United States, myopia is a very common vision issue that is estimated to affect somewhere between 30% and 42% of the population. On a global scale, almost 30% of all people have myopia.

Even worse, some research has found that the condition is becoming more prevalent over time; the exact reasons for this change have yet to be confirmed, but one possible explanation is that it’s a consequence of spending more time in front of screens.

All parents need to be aware of the possibility of their children developing myopia and should keep an eye out for any potential warning signs so that the right measures can be taken as early as possible.

What Strength of Glasses Do I Need for Myopia?

It depends on how severe your myopia is. The strength of the lenses in bifocal glasses is measured by diopters. If you are only mildly nearsighted, less than 3 diopters will typically be required. On the other hand, moderate nearsightedness usually calls for between 3 and 6 diopters. And if you’re severely nearsighted, then you might need more than 6 diopters. We’ll work with you to determine the right lens prescription for your bifocals so that you can see clearly without issue.

Will My Myopia Get Worse If I Don’t Wear Glasses?

Simply put, no; failing to wear glasses won’t result in your myopia growing worse. Any changes in your vision will continue to occur regardless of whether vision correction is used. However, it’s still better to wear glasses; if you don’t, you will be more likely to experience headaches and other unpleasant symptoms related to myopia on a regular basis. If you believe that you or someone in your family is in need of bifocal glasses, please call us right away.