Myopia or nearsightedness is the condition where an individual has difficulty seeing distant objects. Most people develop myopia in childhood, and the condition continues to worsen as kids enter their teen years, before potentially stabilizing in early adulthood. However, for some people, myopia can become worse. According to eye specialists, sudden myopia or nearsightedness during adulthood can indicate serious eye conditions.  

Why Nearsightedness Occurs

Myopia occurs when the eye is not structured properly. The structural change happens during the development stage when the eyeball becomes elongated as the body grows. Myopia can also occur when the cornea or outer layer of the eye appears too curved. 

In both situations, the light entering the eye fails to focus correctly. This results in blurring of the vision when looking at a distance. A person can see close things but has difficulty seeing objects that are further away.

Progression of Myopia

The rate of progression for nearsightedness varies from one individual to the next. Some people will experience gradual progression, while for others, the progression is fast. By the time you get to about 20 years old, your eyes are fully developed. From this point, myopia will not change much until you get to 40 years old. Some people opt to get LASIK surgery rather than getting new corrective lenses regularly. 

Myopia Due to Cataracts

People over 60 years old will sometimes experience worsening myopia. When this happens, it is usually due to cataracts. People with cataracts experience increasing blurry or cloudy vision over time. When this happens, LASIK eye surgery can fix the problem. The procedure is safe and quick, and patients can go home immediately after the surgery. 

Changes to the Cornea

Sometimes, changes on the cornea surface can cause myopia to get worse. This happens due to dryness in the eyes. It can also be the result of an injury to the cornea. For example, a scratch on the eye surface can injure the cornea causing temporary worsening of myopia symptoms. Proper diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause will help in managing myopia.

Treatment of Myopia

Treatment will not usually stop myopia progression, but it can slow it. Glasses and contact lenses are the most common choices for correcting myopia. Corrective lenses are specific to the patient’s prescription. 

 

Laser surgery is also becoming a common treatment option as people look for ways to avoid wearing glasses. People with severe myopia can be treated by implanting artificial lenses. This is a fairly new treatment option used when laser surgery is not possible or ineffective. 

 

Near-sightedness in children tends to get worse as they grow. The younger the child is when developing myopia, the more likely they are to experience faster vision deterioration. Myopia will usually stop getting worse at 20 years. This is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. It is often genetic, and it runs in families. Sometimes, an individual’s lifestyle causes the condition. Your eye doctor will recommend glasses, contact lenses, or even surgery to treat myopia. 

To learn more about myopia or to schedule an appointment, call our friendly team at True Vision Optometry in Montebello, California at 323-403-4116.

Reference:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nearsightedness/symptoms-causes/syc-20375556#:~:text=Nearsightedness%20(myopia)%20is%20a%20common,instead%20of%20on%20your%20retina.