Eye Care | Myopia

Myopia is mainly caused by the eyeball being longer than normal from side to side. In this condition, distant objects appear blurred but near objects are clear. Children tend to develop myopia during the elementary school years, but it can develop earlier or later than this time. Children will usually squint to see things in the distance, or they may complain of difficulty seeing the chalkboard in school.Myopia can be inherited but is also influenced by growth of the eye. Myopia tends to increase steadily throughout elementary school, and significant increases may occur during "growth spurts." After adolescence the progression of myopia usually subsides but significant increases in nearsightedness may occur even after this point. Myopia is corrected by wearing minus or concave lenses. Refractive surgery such as LASIK can permanently reduce or eliminate myopia, but it is not recommended for anyone under the age of 18 years.