Myopia: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment Options

If you find yourself squinting at street signs or struggling to read the whiteboard from the back of the classroom, you're not alone. Millions of people worldwide have myopia, or nearsightedness, where distant objects appear blurry while close-up items remain clear.

While some people inherit this condition from their parents, others develop it from modern habits like too much screen time. We'll look at what causes myopia, its effects on eye health, and the best ways to control it.

Why People Develop Myopia

Family History Plays a Big Role

If your parents wear glasses for distance vision, you're more likely to need them too. And scientists have discovered that this isn't just coincidence: they've identified more than 200 different genes that can affect how our eyes develop. Interestingly, families and communities are sometimes more prone to myopia than others.

Daily Habits Matter Too

Other additional stresses to our eyes include hours spent focusing on close activities—be it reading books or scrolling over phones. Most of them are unaware that sunlight plays an important role in healthy development when we stay indoors for too long, the essential natural light that helps regulate the growth of the eyes is missed out by the eyes. City living and intense academic pressure, especially during childhood, can also increase the chances of developing myopia as they often involve more indoor time and close-up work.

How Myopia Affects Your Life

Living with Blurry Vision

When the eyeball gets too long, it makes things far away blurry while things close to you are clear. In essence, everyday activities will be a problem-you may not be able to read the road signs as you drive, catch a ball during sports, or even see what the teacher writes on the board at school.

Protecting Your Eye Health

High degrees of myopia are associated with problems much more serious than stronger glasses being required. The tissue of the stretched eye is weaker and can be more prone to other disorders such as retinal detachment, when the back of the eye is pulled away from its normal position. You may be at risk from glaucoma, cataracts, and even damage to the central vision area. The stronger your prescription gets, the more important it becomes to monitor these risks with regular eye check-ups.

More Than Just Vision

Living with myopia is not just a matter of the quality of one's vision. For children especially, having to wear glasses can affect their confidence and self-esteem, especially at school when they might feel different from their peers. And because their prescriptions often change, families frequently need to pay again for new glasses or contact lenses. For people with larger degrees of myopia, specialized and more costly lenses may be in order, adding to the financial burden.

What Level of Myopia Needs Glasses?

Myopia is measured in diopters (D), with a negative number indicating the strength of correction needed. While the need for glasses can depend on individual circumstances and lifestyle, understanding myopia levels helps determine when correction is typically necessary.

When Glasses Are Recommended:

Any level of myopia that impacts daily activities or causes eye strain should be corrected. However, eye care professionals generally recommend glasses when:

● Vision testing shows -0.50 D or higher prescription

● Distance vision is noticeably blurred

● Headaches or eye strain occur frequently

● School or work performance is affected

Myopia Severity Chart:

Notes:

● These ranges are general guidelines; individual needs may vary

● Even mild myopia should be corrected if causing symptoms

● Regular eye exams are essential for all levels of myopia

● Early intervention can help control myopia progression

● Children with any level of myopia should receive immediate attention

What Would Happen If Myopia Is Left Untreated?

Myopia (nearsightedness) requires proper attention and correction to maintain good vision and eye health. When left untreated, myopia not only affects daily life quality but can also lead to various eye health complications over time.

1. You'll Experience Immediate Discomfort and Vision Problems

In the short term, you'll deal with constant headaches and eye strain. Simple tasks become challenging as you struggle to see things far away. Driving becomes dangerous, especially at night, and you'll have trouble seeing screens or signs from a distance. The constant squinting and eye fatigue can make work or study much harder.

2. Your Physical and Mental Health Will Be Affected

Untreated myopia forces your body to compensate by often leading to poor posture, whereby one usually leans forward to see things clearly. Along with this physical strain, mental strain also comes; many individuals suffer from lowered confidence in social situations and retreat from sports and outdoor activities.

3. Serious Eye Health Complications May Develop Over Time

If not adequately corrected, you increase your risks for retinal detachment or glaucoma by many folds. You also tend to have cataracts a lot earlier than most. Your chances of developing macular degeneration become high, and if very serious, myopic maculopathy is possible - a grave central vision-affected disorder.

4. Your Daily Activities and Safety Will Be Compromised

● The more mundane tasks, such as driving, become dangerous, and one may not be able to recognize faces across a room.

● Entertainment activities such as movie watching or sports events become less fun.

● The limitation of vision may restrict one's choices of career, especially those that demand sharp distance vision, and thus increase the chance of accidents due to poor depth perception and distance judgment.

With the aggravation of your vision, later you may need more complicated and expensive corrections of vision. In most instances, the treatment for advanced conditions costs more than what early care and intervention might have cost.

Foods That May Help Slow Myopia Progression

While you can't fully correct existing nearsightedness by just changing your diet, certain nutrients can help keep your eyes healthy and might slow down the worsening of the condition. Here are some foods that could help slow down the progression of myopia:

Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene

● Orange and yellow vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes)

● Dark leafy greens (spinach, kale)

● Orange fruits (mangoes, cantaloupe)

● Eggs and liver

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

● Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines)

● Walnuts

● Flaxseeds

● Chia seeds

Vitamin C

● Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons)

● Berries (strawberries, blueberries)

● Bell peppers

● Broccoli

Vitamin E

● Nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds)

● Avocados

● Vegetable oils

● Wheat germ

Zinc

● Lean meats

● Oysters

● Pumpkin seeds

● Legumes

Lutein and Zeaxanthin

● Green leafy vegetables

● Corn

● Egg yolks

● Green peas

Practical Dietary Tips:

● Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables daily

● Include fatty fish in your diet 2-3 times per week

● Snack on nuts and seeds instead of processed foods

● Choose whole grains over refined grains

● Stay well-hydrated with water

While a healthy diet supports eye health, it's not a substitute for proper vision correction and regular eye examinations.

Myopia vs Astigmatism: Which Is More Serious?

Both myopia and astigmatism are common refractive errors that affect vision differently. Neither condition is inherently "more serious" than the other, as their impact depends on severity and individual circumstances.

What Makes Myopia (Nearsightedness) Worse?

There are many factors in our daily life that can be the reason for the regression of myopia. The following are the most important factors that enhance myopia:

1. Doing a close book in reading, writing, or studying without rest

2. Poor posture while working on books or using digital equipment

3. Spending too much time near work with smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers

4. Inadequate outdoor time and natural sunlight

5. Working or studying in poor lighting conditions

6. Genetic predisposition, especially if both parents have myopia

7. Not wearing prescribed glasses consistently or using incorrect prescriptions

8. Lack of proper eye breaks during intensive near work

9. High levels of stress and insufficient sleep

10. Poor diet lacking essential nutrients for eye health

11. Early onset of myopia during childhood (particularly before age 12)

12. Continuous exposure to artificial blue light from digital screens

13. Eye strain due to not following the rule 20-20-20: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds

14. Predisposing diseases like diabetes

Some of these factors cannot be helped, such as genetic factors, but many of these factors are manageable through lifestyle changes.

How to Treat and Manage Myopia

1. Primary Vision Correction Methods

Glasses and contact lenses are still the staples of myopia treatment. Special lens designs can help slow the progression of myopia in children. Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) uses special contact lenses that reshape the cornea while sleeping to provide clear vision during the day without wearing eyewear.

2. Medical Interventions

Low-dose atropine eye drops are especially effective for children with progressive myopia. These drops help control eye elongation, though some patients may experience increased light sensitivity. Regular monitoring by an eye care professional ensures optimal results.

3. Lifestyle Modifications

Daily outdoor time of at least one hour is protective against myopia progression. The 20-20-20 rule is to look 20 feet away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds to decrease eye strain with close work. Proper lighting and posture when using digital devices or reading are important.

4. Surgical Solutions

For adults whose prescriptions have stabilized, LASIK or other laser surgeries are options. Intraocular lens implants offer another alternative for those with high prescriptions that make them poor candidates for laser surgery. These options should be discussed with an eye surgeon to determine the best approach.

Your Vision Matters: Taking Control of Myopia for Better Eye Health

Nearsightedness might start as a simple need for glasses, but its effects can reach far beyond just blurry distance vision. If you notice changes in your vision or have concerns about your children's eye health, don't wait - schedule an eye exam to discuss your options. The sooner you act, the better chance you have of protecting your vision for years to come.

Common Questions & Answers About Myopia (Nearsightedness)

Q1: What is the main cause of myopia?

Myopia mainly develops because the growth of the eye from front to back is too long, or the cornea is too curved. Due to this, instead of light rays focusing on the retina, they focus on the front portion of the retina. The major causes are genetic and due to prolonged close-up activities, such as reading or screen time.

Q2: Can you fix myopia?

No, myopia cannot be "cured" permanently, but it can be corrected by the following:

● EyeglassesContact lenses

● Refractive surgery (like LASIK)

● Orthokeratology (special contact lenses worn at night)

Q3: Is myopia a disability?

No, myopia in and of itself is not considered a disability. In many jurisdictions, very severe myopia, typically -6.00 diopters or worse, that cannot be fully corrected, may be regarded as a visual disability.

Q4: Does myopia get worse with age?

Not necessarily. Myopia progresses through childhood and into the early adult years, where it stabilizes around age 20-25. Adult myopia remains the same unless other eye conditions develop.

Q5: Does LASIK cure myopia?

No, LASIK does not "cure" myopia but offers a long-term correction of it. It reshapes the cornea to correct one's vision; however, your eyes may still change with time, which might require touch-ups in some people.

Q6: Why is my left eye blurry but my right eye fine?

Different vision in each eye can be caused by:

● Uneven refractive errors

● Amblyopia (lazy eye)

● Eye strain

Medical conditions Consult an eye doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Q7: Will myopia get worse if I don't wear glasses?

No, not wearing glass does not deteriorate myopia; however, glass with a prescribed number helps lessen the strain on the eyes and gives sharp vision.

Q8: Is minus 7 legally blind?

No, -7.00 diopters is not legally blind. The definition of legal blindness is given by the criteria of visual acuity worse than 20/200 in best correction rather than prescription strength.

Q9: Must I wear myopia glasses for using the phone?

Yes, if you are prescribed to wear them full-time, then it is advisable to wear your glasses while using your phone to avoid eye strain and keep your vision comfortable.

Q10: Can myopia ever be reversed?

No, myopia cannot be naturally reversed. While various treatments can correct vision, they don't change the physical length of the eye or fundamentally reverse the condition.

Note: Always consult an eye care professional for personalized advice about your vision needs.