Nearsightedness

Myopia is the medical name for nearsightedness, which means that you can see objects that are near clearly but have difficulty seeing objects that are farther away. For example, if you have nearsightedness, you may not be able to make out highway signs until they’re just a few feet away.

Myopia affects a significant percentage of people. It’s an eye focus disorder that’s normally corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery.

How common is myopia?

Myopia is common. According to one estimate, more than 40% of people in the U.S. have nearsightedness. This number is rapidly rising, especially among school-aged children. Eye experts expect this trend to continue in the coming decades.

One in four parents has a child with some degree of nearsightedness. Some eye experts believe that if your child spends a great deal of time engaged in “near” activities, such as reading or using smartphones and computers, it may raise their risk of developing myopia.

Are there types of myopia?

Eye specialists divide myopia broadly into simple myopia and pathologic myopia. Pathologic myopia is a newer name for degenerative myopia.

People with simple myopia have contact lenses or eyeglasses that help provide clear vision, while those with pathologic myopia may not be able to have clear vision even with corrective lenses.