Understanding Myopia

Catch the signs, slow myopia progression

Last updated: 5/4/2026

What is Myopia?

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a common vision condition where distant objects appear blurry while close objects remain clear. It occurs when the eye grows too long or the cornea is too curved, causing light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it.

30%

of the world's population is currently impacted by myopia

50%

of the world's population is estimated to be impacted by myopia by 2050

1 in 3

children will develop myopia within their lifetime

How is myopia diagnosed?

Myopia is diagnosed during a routine eye exam. It can be difficult for a child to communicate vision issues, and they're difficult to detect on your own. If you're noticing any changes in your child, book an eye exam to eliminate any guesswork.

Book an eye exam today

What causes myopia?

GENETICS

Family history plays a significant role in myopia development. Children with myopic parents are more likely to develop the condition.

ENVIRONMENT

Limited outdoor time and excessive near work activities can contribute to myopia progression in children and young adults.

LIFESTYLE

Extended screen time, reading in poor lighting, and lack of breaks during close-up tasks may increase myopia risk.

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What are the symptoms of myopia?

Myopia, or nearsightedness, makes distant objects appear blurry. Common symptoms include:

Difficulty seeing distant objects clearly
Squinting to see better
Eye strain or headaches
Sitting closer to screens or the front of the classroom

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Wrong

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Correct

How is myopia treated?

While there's no cure for myopia, treatment has come a long way. If your child is diagnosed with myopia, your eye doctor can slow its progression with a personalized myopia care plan.

Specialized myopia glasses to help focus light and restore distance vision
Specialized myopia contacts for daytime to correct nearsightedness
Specialized eye drops which reduce eye strain and stop eye growth
Ortho-K contacts at night to help slow the eyeball's growth

What else can I do to help?

In addition to myopia care, there are small lifestyle changes that can help your child, like:

taking screen breaks
spending more than 2 hours/day outdoors
getting regular eye exams

Images coming soon

What if myopia isn't treated?

If left untreated, myopia will progress. This can mean that as the eye continues to grow, your child's vision can get blurrier and other issues may arise. The good news is that there are new treatment options that correct your child's vision and slow myopia progression.

Ask about myopia care