The following was written by Bill Evans and published in the Coolum and North Shore News, Ask the Professionals page on Friday, 22nd February 2013.
Q: What is myopia?
A: Myopia or short-sightedness is the inability of the eye to see distant objects clearly. People with myopia see things up close sharply, but further away their visual world is blurred. In myopia light from a distant object focuses in front of the retina, rather than on the retina. This is due either to the eye growing too long or the cornea being too curved.
Myopia is commonly corrected with corrective lenses, being glasses or contact lenses. Ophthalmologists may perform corrective surgery such as LASIK to restore clear distance vision.
Research has shown that a special type of aspheric lens can slow the progression of myopia by 30% in children where their myopia is inherited. These lenses offer hope for children of parents with short-sightedness. See your optometrist for more information.
