Myopia or Short-sightedness is "the inability to see things clearly without eye glasses or contact lenses unless they are relatively close to the eyes".
If you are experiencing difficulty seeing images or objects that are further away, you may have Myopia.

In order to see well, the image captured by the eye should be focused on the retina (a layer at the back of the eye). Myopia occurs when the image is focused short of the retina (Refer to schematic drawing for an illustration). This commonly happens when:

• Your eyeball is too long.
• Your focusing lens is too strong.

Other terms for Myopia:

• Short-sightedness
• Near-sightedness

Definition of Astigmatism

Astigmatism is distorted vision caused when the cornea (the eye surface) is oval like a football instead of spherical like a basketball. This causes images to focus on more than one point in the eye (short or long of retina), resulting in blurred vision at distance or near. Astigmatism often occurs along with Myopia (Short-sightedness) or Hyperopia (Long-sightedness).

How does a person become Myopic?

Myopia most commonly develops in childhood or early teens (between 7-14). In the United States and the European Union more than 25% of the adult population are myopic, while in certain Asian countries Myopia affects more than 80% of the adult population. Statistics show that the prevalence of Myopia is increasing globally.

The risk in developing myopia is increased if there is a family history of it. There may also be a link between myopia and prolonged near work, such as extensive reading and computer work. However the exact cause of myopia still remains unknown.