Myopia (short‑sightedness)

What causes myopia?

Myopia typically occurs when our eyeball grows too long from front to back, causing light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it. This results in distant objects appearing blurred.

Myopia can also arise if the cornea is too distinctly curved.

Research suggests that the eye can elongate further to compensate for blurred vision, particularly in growing children, which can worsen short‑sightedness over time.²

Genetic factors play a significant role in the development of myopia, increasing the likelihood if one or both parents are affected, though it is not guaranteed.

Environmental factors, such as extended close‑up activities and increased screen time, are also linked to a higher risk of developing myopia.

Illustration shows that myopia happens when the eyeball grows too much, stretching so that the distance from front to back is longer than it should be.

Myopia treatment

While myopia cannot be cured, it can be managed effectively to slow its progression, especially in children. Research indicates that using prescription glasses, contact lenses, or orthokeratology lenses can reduce myopia progression in children by up to 50% to 60%.³ This is known as myopia management.

Managing myopia involves the use of glasses or contact lenses with a minus lens power. A minus lens means that it will have a concave shape (curved inwards), which helps to improve the focus of the eye ‑ the further away from zero the number is, the more correction is needed.

Plenty of research is also being carried out into future treatments too, including red‑light therapy.⁴

Tips for myopia management

If you have myopia, wearing glasses or contact lenses is typically the best way to manage your condition.

Depending on your prescription, you might need to wear them all the time or just for activities that need clear distance vision, like driving or watching film in the cinema. It's also common to have different levels of myopia and therefore the need for different prescriptions for each eye.

Adults may consider laser eye surgery or clear lens extraction to correct their vision but this is not suitable for children. Your optician can help you choose the best option. Regular eye tests every two years are important to monitor your vision and check if your condition is worsening.

You can also make lifestyle changes to help prevent myopia from worsening, such as:

• Spending more time outdoors.

• Taking regular breaks from screen time and close‑up work.

• Ensuring good lighting when reading or doing close‑up tasks.

Complications

Most instances of myopia are fairly mild and can be easily treated. However, people with severe cases could be at a risk of developing other eye conditions such as:

• Glaucoma – an eye disease which damages the optic nerve, causing blurry vision.

• Retinal detachment – a serious eye condition which can affect your vision and potentially lead to vision loss.

• Cataracts – a common condition which causes blurred or cloudy vision

Should you be at risk of developing these issues, regular eye tests including an OCT scan can help detect these early on.

Conclusion

Myopia is a common eye condition that affects lots of people. Most people with myopia will typically experience blurry vision and other mild symptoms such as headaches or eye strain, but some may go on to develop other eye conditions like glaucoma.

While there’s no cure, myopia can easily be managed in adults and children using glasses or contact lenses.

Having your eyes tested regularly will help make sure you get the right diagnosis and advice to manage your condition and take care of your eyesight.