What Is Myopia? Can LASIK Fix It?

The short answer is yes.

Myopia is the medical term for nearsightedness. Those with nearsightedness can see objects that are nearby clearly, but far away objects appear blurry.

Myopia is caused by misshape of the cornea. Common misshapes include the eye being too long, or the cornea is too curved. When light enters the eye through the misshapen eye, the light is not focused correctly on the retina. As a result, the brain interprets the nerve signal as a blurry image.

Glasses and contacts correct myopia by compensating for the shape of the eye. Glasses and contacts allow for the light to be focused correctly on the retina, but only when you are wearing them. LASIK, however, actually reshapes the cornea so that light can focus correctly without the use of corrective lenses.

LASIK procedure uses two lasers – a femtosecond and an excimer. The femtosecond laser is used to create access to the cornea (creation of the corneal flap). The excimer is then used to remove excess tissue from the cornea to create the correct curvature to allow for light to be focused properly. This is what results in a clearer image after LASIK.

Myopia Facts:

1. Myopia tends to occur most in children. This is because the eye is continuing to grow and change. The eye does not stop growing until the early twenties.

2. Myopia can develop in adults due to visual stress or medical conditions. For example, diabetes and metabolic disorders can impact the nutrients that the eye needs to stay healthy.

3. Myopia in older adults can be a sign of a developing cataract. As the cataract becomes worse, far off, objects seem blurry or opaque compared to normal vision. With time, the cataract will impact near vision as well.

If you are dealing with myopia or believe you may be developing myopia, chat with one of our friendly team members now; we’d love to discuss your candidacy for LASIK.

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