Myopia is a very common refractive error and is usually known as nearsightedness. Myopia is an eye condition in which a person is unable to see things clearly which are far away. Distant objects seem to get blurry, but the person is able to see nearby things clearly.
The cause of myopia is usually the structure of the eyeball. If the length of the eyeball is too long or the protective layer of the eye, cornea, is too curvy, then the light that enters the eye won't be able to focus correctly instead, it comes to focus in front of the retina and not directly on it. This causes the vision to blur and result in a refractive error. Myopia is the most common vision problem at present and is increasing at a rapid rate worldwide.
Symptoms of Myopia
Nearsightedness usually starts developing during childhood and continues to progress gradually. The main symptom of myopia is experiencing a blurred vision of distant objects. The other symptoms of myopia are headache, the strain on the eye, squinting, and feeling of eye fatigue when one tries to see an object which is at a few feets away. Thus, it is advised to consult an opthalmologist and go through a proper eye examination in case of these symptoms.
Treatment of Myopia
Myopia can be easily corrected by adequately examining the eye in the best eye hospital in Kolkata, under specialized opthalmologists of Renuka Eye Institute and using prescribed eyeglasses or contact lenses, to refocus light on the retina and compensating the shape of the eye. The progress of nearsightedness can be slowed down by using specialized myopia control glasses. There are ways of permanently treating myopia through refractive surgery. LASIK is one of the most popular surgery to treat myopia. Orthokeratology is another process to treat myopia. It is a process in which a series of hard contact lenses are used to gradually flatten the cornea and reduce myopia. However, vision improvement as a result of this process is temporary.
In several cases, myopia can also be an inherited condition. If a parent has myopia, there are high chances that their children may get it as well. Myopia usually develops and is discovered in children at the age of between 8 to 12 years old. With time conditions of myopia can gradually increase. Although myopia can also occur in adults.
Mild myopia is called low myopia, and it can be easily treated. Severe myopia, which is usually called high myopia, can be corrected with glasses or lenses. Sometimes opthalmologist can suggest a refractive surgery to treat and correct high myopia. High myopia usually gets stabilized between the ages of 20-30 years old.
The rate of myopia has been increasing at an alarming rate all over the world. Myopia can run in families and usually starts developing since childhood. Eye drops like atropine, cyclopentolate or pirenzepine gel can be useful in reducing the progression of myopia. If one experiences the symptoms of myopia, it is advised to get eyes checked by your opthalmologists and go through proper treatment to cure myopia and to save and protect your precious vision.