Myopia (Short Sight)

Myopia is often referred to short-sightedness.

When people are short-sighted, they can see near objects well but have difficulty focussing on distant objects. This vision problem occurs when light rays entering the eye focus in front of the retina, rather than directly on it.

If you are short-sighted, you typically have difficulty reading road signs and seeing distance objects clearly. Signs and symptoms of myopia include squinting, eyestrain and headaches. Myopes need glasses for many everyday activities, such as driving, watching television or sports. Spectacles or contact lenses of the correct power changes the path of the incoming light so that it focuses directly on the retina, as it would in normal eyes. Many myopes wear their glasses full-time.