One of the most common issues we treat here at Advanced VisionCare is the problem of short sight, and this is one of the main reasons people have corrective eye surgery. But what is short sightedness and what are some of the causes of it?
What is it?
Short sightedness is known as myopia in medical terms, which is also known as a refractive error. One of the main symptoms of myopia is the ability to see things well when they are close up, but objects that are further away often seem blurry. Milder cases of short sightedness can usually be managed quite easily using contact lenses or glasses, but for more severe cases or for people who don’t want to wear glasses any longer, corrective eye surgery is another treatment option.
How does it happen?
Like all refractive errors, short sightedness occurs because the light entering the eye cannot be focused properly on the retina. Age is one of the most common causes of this deterioration of sight, but an irregularly shaped eyeball can also be the cause of myopia.
Typically, people who are short sighted have a cornea that is too curved. This means that light cannot reach the retina as it should normally be able to.
Who gets it?
As mentioned above, short sightedness can be caused by the deterioration of the eye due to old age. However, it is also a condition that runs in some families and so it is often present in children and teenagers as well as adults. Also, some medical conditions – such as diabetes – can make people more prone to short sightedness.
Generally speaking, the younger you are when myopia is discovered, the more severe it is likely to be by the time you reach adulthood. However, many adults find that their vision eventually stabilises and does not get any worse. Once a person’s prescription is stable, they are more likely to be a good candidate for corrective eye surgery.
What surgery could I have?
If you are short sighted and are considering corrective eye surgery then the most common form of surgery is LASIK. This is where the laser is used to remove a thin layer of the cornea, making it easier for light to reach the retina as it should do.
However, some people who are unsuitable for LASIK treatment might be able to have LASEK surgery instead. Implantable contact lenses are another surgical option that we are able to provide to suitable patients at AVC.
