Nearsightedness

Are you beginning to notice that you are struggling to see things in the distance clearly? Perhaps you can see things up close perfectly fine, but when trying to focus on something faraway it is blurry. If this sounds like you, you’re probably are experiencing nearsightedness. Our team of skilled eye care specialists can help to diagnose and treat this problem so that you can enjoy clear eyesight at all times.

What is Nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, is a vision condition that allows the unaided eye (no glasses) to clearly see objects near you, but objects farther away appear blurry. This occurs when the shape of your eyes causes light rays to incorrectly bend or refract because the eye is too long, causing images to focus in front of your retina instead of on your retina. This condition may occur gradually or rapidly and often worsens during childhood and the teen years. It also tends to run in families.

Common symptoms of nearsightedness include:

·        The need to squint or partly close your eyes to see clearly.

·        Blurry vision when trying to focus on objects in the distance.

·        Are unaware of faraway objects.

·        Headaches that are caused by straining your eyes.

·        Problems seeing clearly while driving, specifically at night.

What Causes Nearsightedness?

Your eye uses two parts to focus images;  the cornea (the dome-shaped, clear, front surface of the eye), and the lens (a clear structure). In a normal eye, each of these elements has a smooth curvature, similar to the surface of a marble. The cornea and lens can then bend all incoming light to create a sharply focused image directly on the retina. If your cornea is not smoothly curved, however, light rays cannot bend properly, causing a refractive error. When the eyeball is longer than normal or if the cornea is curved too steeply, nearsightedness occurs.

Treatment Options for Nearsightedness

In order to diagnose nearsightedness, a basic eye exam must be completed. There are a number of treatment options when it comes to this condition, which focus on improving the vision by helping to focus light on the retina. Treatment options include:

Prescription Lenses: This may include eyeglasses or contact lenses. There is a large selection of eyeglass frames available today, and lens choices include single vision, bifocals trifocals, and progressive multifocals. Content lenses are worn directly on the eyes, and are available in a range of materials and designs.

Refractive Surgery: This procedure lessens the need for glasses and contacts. Your surgeon will use a special laser beam to reshape the cornea, which will result in a decreased nearsighted prescription. Following surgery you may be required to wear glasses for a while, as well as likely needing glasses later in life.

Candidates for Nearsightedness Treatment

Individuals who are having trouble clearly seeing things that are in the distance benefit from a visit to our office. If this blurred vision is so pronounced that you cannot perform certain tasks as well as you wish you could, or if your vision detracts from enjoying specific activities, an eye exam is needed to diagnose and subsequently treat your condition.

Contact Us to Learn More

If you are interested in learning more about nearsightedness and our treatment options, contact Eye Care Physicians of New Jersey today. We will be happy to assist you in scheduling your initial appointment with one of our eye care specialists.