Myopia (short sight)

What is myopia?

Myopia, also known as being near‑sighted or short‑sighted, is a condition that causes objects from far away to appear out of focus.

An estimated five billion people, or half the global population, could be affected by short‑sightedness by 2050.

What is the meaning of myopia? Well, a person with short‑sightedness will be able to see things up close quite clearly, like when they’re reading. But for tasks that require distance vision, like driving or watching TV, their vision is blurred. This is the opposite of hypermetropia – also known as long‑sightedness – where people can see objects far away clearly but struggle to see things nearby.

Articles related to myopia

Myopia landscape in focus: A global and regional concern
This exploration provides a unique perspective on the state of eye health in Australia and efforts undertaken to address the growing concern of myopia.

Changes in prevalence and treatment rates of myopia
Discussing factors contributing to the global rise, analysing incidence shifts, and highlighting myopia management practices among optometrists,

Optometrists ring alarm bells on excessive screen time
There’s an alarming incidence spike of Myopia amongst children, with time on digital screens as a major contributing factor.

Disclaimer: For advice and further information about short‑sightedness you should consult an eye care professional. This Vision Simulator should be treated as information only and does not represent advice. The images presented are artistic interpretations of short‑sightedness as experienced without glasses or contact lenses.

^{Vision simulator reproduced with permission from CooperVision Inc. and its subsidiaries.}

Complications

Most cases of myopia are fairly mild and can be easily treated. However, people with severe myopia could be at risk of developing other eye conditions such as:

Cataracts – a common condition which cases blurred or cloudy vision.

Glaucoma – an eye disease which damages the optic nerve, causing blurry vision.

Retinal detachment – a serious eye condition which can affect your vision and potentially lead to vision loss.

Myopia in children

Progressive myopia happens when the condition gets worse rapidly. This affects young children in particular, so it’s important to start myopia management treatment as soon as possible. As well as the symptoms listed above, children with myopia might experience or show signs of the following:

• Difficulty seeing in into the distance/ holding objects close to the face

• Headaches

• Excessive blinking

• Fatigue and lack of concentration

• Clumsiness

• Eye rubbing

If you are concerned about myopia in your child, then the best step is to take them for an eye test. Children can be tested at any age, even if they can’t read or talk yet.

While the optometrist will use the well‑known letter chart with older children, with younger children's eye tests they can show them pictures or shapes. They can also assess how long or short‑sighted your child is simply by shining a light into their eye using a technique called retinoscopy.

In terms of managing your child’s condition, children with myopia can have their vision corrected with normal glasses or contact lenses.

For children who have short‑sightedness, a practice called ‘myopia management’ might also be an option. This involves using specialist contact lenses or glasses lenses designed to minimise myopia progression specifically in children.

Which one you choose will very much depend on what your child prefers, and which option your child is going to wear for the recommended wearing schedule. Your optometrist talk you through both options and help you to pick the best one for your child.

More ways to manage your child’s myopia

Here are some things you could do to help reduce the risk of your child’s myopia progressing and getting worse:

• Encourage them to spend time outdoors, at least two hour a day

• Limit their time using screens

• Take breaks from close tasks, such reading a book very close to the face

• Help them get a good nights’ sleep