Myopia Causes

Myopia Causes

What are the most common Myopia causes? Myopia (nearsightedness) is a common eye condition that affects your ability to see at a distance. Nearly 25% of the American population has Myopia, but many cases of it often go undiagnosed.

• What is Myopia
• Myopia Epidemic 
• Treatment of Myopia
• Different Types of Myopia
• Diagnosing Myopia
• Myopia Causes FAQs

Spotting Myopia is fairly easy if you know what to look for. The most common Myopia symptoms include:

• Having trouble seeing objects at a distance
• Constant eye rubbing
• Frequent headaches
• Excessive blinking
• Difficulty driving at night

What is Myopia

Myopia occurs when the length of an individual’s eyeball is too long or curved compared to the focusing power of the cornea and the lens in their eye. The difference in sizes causes the light to focus in front of the retina, rather than on it.

Treatment of Myopia

Children and Adults with Myopia can overcome this eye disease. An Optometrist may prescribe glasses or contacts, OrthoKeratology, or in extreme cases corrective surgery.

One common and effective method of Myopia control is a non-surgical treatment called OrthoKeratology. This treatment involves using specialized contact lenses that an adult wears overnight. These lenses actively shape the cornea and help it to focus light onto the surface of the retina. OrthoKeratology can improve your vision during the day and may even eliminate the need for prescription eyeglasses and lenses entirely.

Myopia Epidemic

The Myopia epidemic is something that is affecting many American children and adults. Optometrists believe that increased screen usage has led to a rapid increase of Myopia in the general population.

Screen Time and Myopia

Experts believe that smartphones and computers are likely to blame for this problem. They argue that our eyes are becoming Myopic as a response to our environmental conditions. While this may be tied to screen usage, other experts argue that intensive education is to blame.

If there’s one cause of Myopia that scientists do agree on, it’s that children aren’t spending enough time outdoors. They believe there is a strong correlation between increasing Myopia rates and decreasing UV light exposure.

Other Causes of Myopia

While there is no scientific consensus on the exact causes of Myopia, there are several theories. These theories include:

• Family history. Children with nearsighted parents may have a greater chance of developing Myopia due to genetics.
• Increased focusing fatigue. Myopia in children may result from excessive reading and screen usage.
• Stress and diseases. Stress may increase an individual’s chance of developing temporary nearsightedness.

The Different Types of Myopia

Myopia affects every individual differently. While there are three types of Myopia, each of them causes nearsightedness.

Low Myopia is the most common form and is less severe and generally does not lead to the conditions present in patients with High Myopia. This form can include normal symptoms and is typically treatable with prescription eyeglasses, contacts, or corrective surgery.

High Myopia is a serious form of this eye disease. This form occurs when an individual’s eyeball grows more than it should. High Myopia can result in detached retinas, cataracts, and glaucoma.

Degenerative Myopia is a rare and serious form of the condition. This form is usually genetic and carries many of the same symptoms and risks as high Myopia. Degenerative Myopia typically worsens into adulthood and can result in detached retinas, glaucoma, and abnormal blood vessel growth in your eyes.

Diagnosing Myopia

Are you worried about the causes of Myopia we’ve mentioned here? The good news is that Myopia is easily diagnosable through a standard eye exam, but is best diagnosed by a Myopia Specialist like Dr. Barry Leonard.

If you’ve experienced any of the symptoms or have a family history of Myopia, you should book an appointment for an eye exam.

Prescription lenses or LASIK will improve your vision, but they will not fix it permanently. The five methods of long-term Myopia control are…

1. Low concentration 0.01% atropine eye drops (currently considered an “off-label” use by FDA)
2. More time spent outdoors in bright natural light
3. Bifocal (soft or rigid gas permeable) contact lenses (far-center/near-periphery)
4. NaturalVue® small aperture, aspheric progressive multifocal soft daily disposable contact lenses
5. Ortho-K

Orthokeratology is a non-surgical method that reshapes the cornea over time. While Photorefractive Keratectomy and LASIK involve surgically altering your cornea to allow light rays to filter closer to the surface of your retina.

Myopia Causes FAQs

What are the Main Causes of Myopia?

Myopia occurs when the eyeball is too long, relative to the focusing power of the cornea and lens of the eye. This causes light rays to focus at a point in front of the retina, rather than directly on its surface.

What Causes Myopia to Increase?

The main cause of myopia progression is an increase in the eye’s axial length. Many factors can contribute to this: Wearing glasses all day, every day could potentially lead to myopia worsening. If a child has low myopia, glasses should only be worn sometimes, for activities such as playing sports or watching TV.

What are the Main Symptoms of Myopia?