What Happens During Short-Sightedness?

Difficulty focusing your eyes on far-away objects such as oncoming traffic? TV seeming much blurrier than it used to be? Having to squint to try to read street signs, or recognise people in the distance? If you’ve said yes to several of these, then you may have what optometrists describe as myopia, better known as short-sightedness.

Currently, short-sightedness is the main cause of vision impairment worldwide, and it’s projected to affect nearly 50% of the world's population by 2050.^[1]^{,^[2]} Much like farsightedness, short-sightedness is a type of refractive error where the light that enters the eye doesn’t focus properly - producing the changes and blurriness you’re experiencing. While nearby objects such as books and computers are still in perfect vision, objects in the distance become much harder to see, and you may start experiencing difficulties driving, learning at school or university, or even start experiencing recurring headaches due to the eyestrain.^[3]

What Happens During Short-Sightedness?

In order for us to see objects in the distance clearly and without blurriness, our cornea (the clear and protective outer layer of the eye) and lens (the part of the eye that allows it to focus on objects at different distances, located towards the front of the eyeball) must work together to bend the light to focus directly on our retina at the back of the eye, which absorbs light to send visual information to the brain. In short-sightedness, the light focuses in front of the retina instead of on it, which can happen in two key ways:

When the shape of the cornea or lens changes the way that light enters the eyeball, for example when the cornea is too steeply curved or the lens is too thin
When the eyeball grows longer than normal from front to back

Why Have I Developed Short-Sightedness

Research has found that people are more susceptible to developing short-sightedness if other family members have had the condition, but the influence of genetics on short-sightedness is actually considered to be quite small - and there are a number of lifestyle and environmental factors that can make you more likely to develop the condition, especially at a younger age, including:^[4]

Gender: Females have slightly higher rates of short-sightedness than males^[5]

Age: People are most likely to develop short-sightedness as the shape of the eyes are still developing between the ages of 6 and 14 years, and this can continue to deteriorate until their early 20s.^[6]

Limited light exposure: Children who spend more time outdoors are much less likely to develop short-sightedness. Scientists believe this is because the sun’s natural UV rays and vitamin D help the organs within the eye to release chemicals to encourage healthy growth and development ^[7]^{,^[8],^[9]}. Interestingly, studies have found that as little as one extra hour of sunlight a day can slow the progression of short-sightedness in children.^[10]^{,^[11]}

Near work: Children and adolescents who spend a lot of time on ‘near work’, such as reading, writing, sewing or devices have much higher rates of near-sightedness. One study found that school-aged children who spend 7 hours or more using screens per week can triple their risk for developing short-sightedness.^[12]

Diabetes: Having diabetes can put you at greater risk.^{^[13]}

Treating Short-Sightedness

The most common treatments for myopia, or short-sightedness, involve corrective eyewear such as eyeglasses or contact lenses, which compensate for the abnormal shape of the cornea or lens, or the elongation of the eye, by altering the focus of incoming light. Following a painless comprehensive eye examination, your optometrist can prescribe and fit the appropriate lenses to help you achieve optimal vision. The strength of your lenses will be determined by your visual acuity, and depending on the results, you may need to wear corrective lenses all the time or only during certain activities such as driving.

In some cases, individuals may opt for laser eye surgery to correct myopia. If you have any concerns about your vision, the first step is to schedule an appointment with your local optometrist for a thorough eye examination to assess your eye health and visual acuity. Optometrists can manage a wide range of eye and vision concerns and can refer you to a recommended ophthalmologist if necessary to address serious eye concerns or to discuss surgical options.

Short-Sightedness Care At The Optical Warehouse

Correcting short-sightedness starts with a comprehensive examination with your Optical Warehouse optometrist across our Queensland clinics, who assesses your vision, identifies any problems or disturbances, and gets to know your lifestyle, work requirements and various other key factors that are all combined to give you an optimal lens prescription. Our team is meticulous in the way we work, paying careful attention to detail, and involving you in every aspect of your care and prescription, so you know exactly what you’re getting and how it will work to best support your vision.

No matter your concern, whether you’re experiencing shortsightedness, farsightedness or both, we’re here to help. To book your comprehensive eye exam with one of our experienced team members, contact one of your local Optical Warehouse clinics across Queensland here.