What is Myopia?
Myopia is the inability to see things clearly unless they're relatively close to your eyes. Also called nearsightedness or shortsightedness, myopia is the most common refractive error among children and young adults in Singapore
The underlying cause is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Risk factors include doing work that involves focusing on close objects, greater time spent indoors, and a family history of the condition. It is also associated with a high socioeconomic class. The underlying mechanism involves the length of the eyeball growing too long or less commonly the lens being too strong. It is a type of refractive error.
Distant objects and your driving vision will be blurry if you have myopia, but you still will be able to see nearby objects clearly. This is why the condition is also called "near-sightedness."
Myopia is the most common vision problem. Currently, about 1.5 billion people worldwide (nearly a quarter of the global population) are nearsighted. Myopia is especially prevalent in Singapore, where 60 to 70 percent of the residents are affected.
Researchers aren't sure why myopia is becoming so common, but many eye doctors attribute it to eye fatigue from close-up work including reading, studying, using computers and portable electronic devices (including tablets and smartphones) and reduced time spent outdoors.
A diagnosis of myopia is typically made by an eye care professional, usually an optometrist or optician. During a refraction, an autorefractor or retinoscope is used to give an initial objective assessment of the refractive status of each eye, then a physical eye examination is done to subjectively refine the patient's eyeglass prescription. Other types of refractive error are hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia
Myopia can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses, which refocus light on the retina. Left uncorrected, myopia can lead to vision impairment and increases the risk of complications such as retinal damage, cataract, and glaucoma.
The underlying cause is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Risk factors include doing work that involves focusing on close objects, greater time spent indoors, and a family history of the condition. It is also associated with a high socioeconomic class. The underlying mechanism involves the length of the eyeball growing too long or less commonly the lens being too strong. It is a type of refractive error.
Distant objects and your driving vision will be blurry if you have myopia, but you still will be able to see nearby objects clearly. This is why the condition is also called "near-sightedness."
Myopia is the most common vision problem. Currently, about 1.5 billion people worldwide (nearly a quarter of the global population) are nearsighted. Myopia is especially prevalent in Singapore, where 60 to 70 percent of the residents are affected.
Researchers aren't sure why myopia is becoming so common, but many eye doctors attribute it to eye fatigue from close-up work including reading, studying, using computers and portable electronic devices (including tablets and smartphones) and reduced time spent outdoors.
A diagnosis of myopia is typically made by an eye care professional, usually an optometrist or optician. During a refraction, an autorefractor or retinoscope is used to give an initial objective assessment of the refractive status of each eye, then a physical eye examination is done to subjectively refine the patient's eyeglass prescription. Other types of refractive error are hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia
Myopia can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses, which refocus light on the retina. Left uncorrected, myopia can lead to vision impairment and increases the risk of complications such as retinal damage, cataract, and glaucoma.
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