Myopia, aka near-sightedness, is an eye condition where you can clearly see objects close to you but struggle to see objects at a greater distance.
Out of the 7.79 billion global population in 2020, 2.64 billion had myopia, and 0.46 million had high myopia. It’s evident that myopia is one of the most common eye issues of all time.
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Thus, you and any of your loved ones have a high chance of getting myopia. That’s why you must learn all the ways to deal with myopia early on to avail right treatment on time.
However, for that, you must also understand this condition, how it shows up, causes, and more. So, let’s get started!
What is Myopia?
Myopia, aka near-sightedness, is an eye condition where you can clearly see objects close to you but struggle to see objects at a greater distance. As a result, it’s difficult for you to see road signs even if it’s just a few feet away.
Near-sightedness is of these kinds:
- Simple myopia: It can be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or corrective surgeries.
- High myopia: In this, the eyeballs are too long, and/or the corneas are too steep.
- Pathologic myopia: Also called degenerative myopia and progressive myopia, it leads to major vision loss with time. This can’t be treated even with corrective lenses.
What are the Symptoms of Myopia?
The most common symptoms of myopia are:
- Distant objects appear blurred
- Close objects are completely clear
- Eye strain
- Squinting
- Headache
- Tiredness while doing any task that requires focusing eyesight a few feet away
For children, some additional signs are:
- Poor attention span
- Holding books and objects close to their face
- Poor performance in studies
What are the Causes of Myopia?
Experts have yet to identify the specific reason behind myopia. However, here are some possible causes:
- Your family has a history of myopia, so it’s a genetic issue.
- You’re involved in lots of close-up tasks: reading, using smartphone and computer screens.
- You spend most of the time indoors which leads to develop myopia.
- Your ethnicity has a lot of people with myopia.
What are the Complications in Myopia?
Simple myopia is usually treated easily with glasses, contact lenses, and vision surgeries. However, pathologic myopia leads to several complications like the following:
- Cataract formation
- Glaucoma
- Neovascularization (development of unwanted blood vessels in the eye)
- Myopic optic neuropathy
- Retinal detachment
What is the Treatment of Myopia?
Despite which kinds of myopia you have, you can seek different kinds of treatments or control measures as follows to deal with it:
Note: Until now, medical science has no full cure for pathological myopia. But regular eye check-ups and necessary regular upgrades in eyeglasses and contact lenses help!
1. Eyeglasses
This is the most common way to correct myopia. Based on the degree of vision correction required, you may wear eyeglasses daily all the time.
Some people only wear glasses during activities that need you to focus at a distance. This includes driving, watching movies, playing ball, and focusing on the white/blackboard.
2. Contact Lenses
Some myopia patients notice that they get even better, sharper, and wider vision using contact lenses. While contacts require more care than glasses, it’s a better choice for many. So, if you want to go glass-free, definitely discuss this with your ophthalmologist!
3. Corrective Surgeries
If you want to completely get rid of glasses and contact lenses, there is a vast range of corrective surgeries at your service!
Note: Don’t worry, your eyes are completely numbed during the procedures. It won’t hurt!
- LASIK (Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis)
Popular for being blade-free, this is the most common worldwide eye corrective surgery. A surgeon creates a thin flap on the corneal surface using a femtosecond laser.
They lift the flap, reshape the corneal tissue with a laser and adjust it according to refractive errors. The flap is then placed back in place which heals without stitches!
Surgery is over within 30 minutes, and you can resume your daily routine by the next day.
- SMILE (Small Incision Lenticule Extraction)
This is a minimally invasive bladeless surgery where a femtosecond laser creates a lenticule – a thin contact lens-shaped layer under the top corneal surface.
The lenticule size varies depending on the eye condition. Lenticule is removed through a corneal incision. SMILE helps reshape and flatten the cornea and thus correct the vision condition.
Surgery takes around 15 minutes, and you can do most regular life activities within 2-5 days.
- SILK (Smooth Incision Lenticule Keratomileusis)
SILK is the newest invention in the history of corrective eye surgery. It’s not only minimally invasive, but patients also heal the fastest in SILK surgery.
It also helps you attain 6/5 supervision – which is way better than normal vision and only a small number of people has this.
The surgeon makes a small lenticule under the cornea with microscopic bubbles of a femtosecond laser. They remove it through an incision. The flattened cornea post-surgery corrects the refractive error.
SILK has a way higher accuracy and provides better comfort to patients. The procedure is done within 5 minutes. You can resume your daily life in just 24 hours and use digital devices after 2 days.
- RLE (Refractive Lens Exchange)
RLE is best for extreme myopia and for aged people. In this, a small incision is made into your cornea, the natural crystalline lens is replaced with an intraocular (silicone/plastic) lens.
Overall, treatment needs 15 minutes. You can resume normal life after one week.
Final Words
Whether you have a family history of myopia or not, it’s always safer to be aware of it. If you notice any of the symptoms, reach out to a reputed ophthalmologist immediately and get the necessary treatment!
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