Myopia: Causes, Types & Treatments

Myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness, affects almost 1/3 of the population. People who have myopia can usually see objects that are nearby but have trouble seeing objects that are far away.

Myopia occurs when the eyeball is longer than normal or when the cornea of the eye is steeper than normal. This causes images to focus in the vitreous (the thick gelatinous fluid in front of the retina) of a person's eye rather than where it should be focusing, on the retina at the back of the eye.

While myopia is usually diagnosed during early childhood, it can be diagnosed later in life. Once diagnosed, myopia can either stabilize or, in some cases, worsen.

Myopia of the Eye

While myopia is usually diagnosed during early childhood, it can be diagnosed later in life. Once diagnosed, myopia can either stabilize or, in some cases, worsen.

Symptoms of myopia include:

  • blurry vision
  • eye strain
  • headaches
  • squinting.

Myopia Cure & Myopia Treatment Options

Most eye care professionals treat myopia by prescribing glasses or contact lenses to their patients. While this eyewear won’t necessarily reverse or eliminate myopia, it will improve vision and make the condition much easier to live with. Refractive surgery is another myopia treatment option that may reduce or, in some cases, eliminate the need for everyday wear of glasses or contact lenses.

Another myopia treatment option is called orthokeratology, a non-surgical procedure that reshapes the cornea over a period of time, thereby correcting the myopia. Special contact lenses must be worn regularly, usually at night, to help the cornea hold its new shape. This allows a myopia sufferer to have normal vision during the day without having to wear myopia glasses or contact lenses.
 
Symptoms that myopia sufferers commonly experience, such as headaches, eye strain and frequent squinting, are usually eliminated or lessened with each of these treatment options.

Some eye care professionals may suggest certain alternative treatment methods, such as eye exercises, relaxation techniques or special vitamin supplements for myopia. However, these methods are controversial and have yet to be scientifically proven as effective myopia treatments.

Causes of Myopia

The exact causes of myopia are still unknown. While some believe that myopia is solely a genetic defect, others claim that extensive reading or straining of the eyes can cause myopia. Most theorize that a combination of these two factors actually causes myopia. Some scientists feel that reading excessively, using dim light frequently or even being exposed to night lights can also contribute to this condition.

Interestingly, some studies have found that people who have higher levels of education are more prone to myopia, probably due to the fact that higher education requires a lot of reading.
 
Many scientists, however, believe that heredity is the strongest, if not only, factor that contributes to myopia.

Types of Myopia

There are two main types of myopia:
  • Degenerative Myopia: Degenerative myopia, which affects about two percent of the population, is a variation of myopia that severely worsens over time. Also known as malignant, pathological or progressive myopia, degenerative myopia often causes severe visual impairment later in life.

    Degenerative myopia most often develops by age 12 and is present in those whose eye shape is far more elongated than normal.

    In the past, very little could be done to treat degenerative myopia or to prevent it from worsening. However, new treatments are becoming available. One recent discovery is an injectable photosensitive drug, which stabilizes or even improves vision for many degenerative myopia sufferers.

  • Simple Myopia: Simple myopia is the most common type of myopia. As the least severe myopia, simple myopia can generally be treated or eliminated with glasses, contact lenses or surgery.