Myopia (Nearsightedness)

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is a common visual condition where you can see objects up close relatively well but have difficulty seeing objects in the distance clearly. Find out more about how this condition is diagnosed and treated below.

What is nearsightedness?

Can you easily read things up close, like books and newspapers, but have difficulty reading signs in the distance? If so, you may have a very common condition called myopia or nearsightedness.

People with myopia need corrective lenses to help properly focus light onto the retina in order to see clearly at all distances. It’s the opposite of hyperopia (or farsightedness), where you can see objects in the distance more clearly than objects up close.

Myopia can worsen over time, particularly during childhood, and it can also make you more likely to develop potential sight‑threatening conditions later in life, such as retinal detachment, myopic macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.

Myopia has the potential to become the most common cause of irreversible visual impairment and vision loss worldwide, with an estimated five billion people, or half the global population being affected by shortsightedness by 2050.¹

That’s why it’s vital for young people aged from six months to early twenties to have regular eye exams to make sure it can be prevented, detected, and managed.

Symptoms

Before diagnosis, people with myopia can experience the following when trying to focus on far away objects:

Blurred vision when trying to see things at a distance
Eye strain or tired eyes
Squinting
Headaches (often caused by eye strain and squinting).

Experience it for yourself

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be nearsighted, our vision simulator helps to give some answers.

Move the slider below to see how their vision might look.

0
‑1
‑2
‑3
‑4
‑5
‑6

Disclaimer: For advice and further information about short‑sightedness you should consult an eye care professional. This Vision Simulator should be treated as information only and does not represent advice. The images presented are artistic interpretations of short‑sightedness as experienced without glasses or contact lenses.

^{Vision simulator reproduced with permission from CooperVision Inc. and its subsidiaries.}

What causes myopia?

Myopia occurs when the length of the eyeball (from front to back) is greater than average, when the cornea is too curved, or the lens has a higher‑than‑average optical power – or a combination of all three. This causes the light that enters the eye to focus in front of, instead of directly on to, the retina.

Genetic factors play a significant role in the development of myopia, alongside birth circumstances, ethnicity and lifestyle habits.

Environmental factors, such as increased screen time and less time spent outdoors, are also linked to a higher risk of developing myopia.

Illustration shows that myopia happens when the eyeball grows too much, stretching so that the distance from front to back is longer than it should be.

How is myopia diagnosed?

Nearsightedness can usually be detected during a routine eye exam, which will test your vision as well as examining your eye health in detail.

During your appointment, your optometrist will ask you about your sight and whether you’re experiencing any symptoms. They’ll then carry out a range of tests to check your vision and eye health, before discussing treatment options. Read more about what to expect during an eye exam.

Myopia treatment

While myopia cannot be cured, there are treatments and methods to slow its progression, especially in children.

The most common way to control myopia is with glasses or contact lenses with a minus lens power. A minus lens means that it will have a concave shape (curved inwards), which helps to improve the focus of the eye – the further away from zero the number is, the more correction is needed.

Depending on your prescription, you might need to wear them all the time or just for activities that need clear distance vision, like driving or watching a movie in the theatre. It's also common to have different levels of myopia and therefore the need for different prescriptions for each eye.

For adults, laser eye surgery or clear lens extraction could also be used to correct myopic vision, but this is not suitable for children. Your optometrist can help you choose the best option for your lifestyle.

Regular eye exams are important to monitor your vision and check the progression of myopia. You can also make lifestyle changes to help prevent your nearsightedness from worsening, such as:

Spending more time outdoors.
Taking regular breaks from screen time and close‑up work.
Ensuring good lighting when reading or doing close‑up tasks.

Myopia in children

If your child is complaining about their vision, headaches, or eye strain, then they may have myopia.

Progressive myopia happens when the condition gets worse rapidly. This affects young children in particular, so it’s important to start myopia management treatment as soon as possible. As well as the symptoms listed above, children with myopia may experience:

Difficulty seeing into the distance
Holding objects close to their face
Excessive blinking
Fatigue and lack of concentration
Clumsiness
Eye rubbing.

If you’re concerned about myopia, then the best step is to take your child for an eye exam. Children can be tested at any age, even if they can’t recognize letters or talk yet.

Myopia management for children

Myopia in children has now become a global public health concern, with international health bodies like the World Health Organization carrying out myopia management research and implementation and looking into how myopia control interventions can help children.  

Alongside medications, specialty glasses and contact lenses (or a combination) can all help to minimize how myopia progresses during childhood. Your optometrist might recommend either:

MiSight® 1 day by CooperVision – specially designed myopia management daily disposable contact lenses for children. 
MiYOSMART by Hoya – myopia management glasses lenses that are designed to be worn like everyday glasses.

Both of these products contain technology that focuses light in a different way to normal glasses and contact lenses. This could help slow down eye growth and therefore potentially reduce the likelihood of nearsightedness developing or increasing in children.  

Your eyecare professional will talk you through both options and help you to pick the best one for your child. After a management plan has started, regular follow‑up visits to reassess the level of myopia and how they’re adapting to their management plan will help your optometrist monitor the condition.

Complications

Most instances of myopia are fairly mild and can be easily treated. However, people with severe cases could be at risk of developing other eye conditions, such as:

Glaucoma – an eye disease that damages the optic nerve, causing blurry vision.
Retinal detachment – a serious eye condition which can affect your vision and potentially lead to vision loss.
Cataracts – a common condition which causes blurred or cloudy vision.

Having a regular eye exam, including an OCT scan, can help your optometrist to detect eye conditions early on. That’s why they’re so important to keep up with.

Next steps

Myopia is a common eye condition that affects lots of people. The most common symptom is blurry vision when looking at things further away. Other mild symptoms include headaches or eye strain, but some more intense cases could go on to develop other eye conditions like glaucoma.

While there’s no cure, myopia can easily be managed in adults and children using glasses or contact lenses.

Having regular, comprehensive eye exams will help make sure you get the right diagnosis and advice to manage your condition and take care of your vision.

Book an eye exam

Get answers to your questions

Written with care and check for accuracy

Dr. Tracy Weng

Dr. Tracy Weng is a Doctor of Optometry practicing in Canada, providing comprehensive eye care at the Specsavers Kitsilano location. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Optometrists and BC Doctors of Optometry, and serves on multiple committees with the College of Health and Care Professionals of BC. Dr. Weng is committed to delivering personalized, evidence‑based care while also supporting the growth of the profession through mentorship, continuing education, and professional collaboration.

Noticed a change in your eyesight?

If you have any concerns about your eye health, contact or visit your local optometrist immediately – even if you do not have an appointment.

Book an eye exam

Discover more about vision

Eye conditions
Find the symptoms, causes and treatments of a whole range of eye conditions and vision problems.
See more eye conditions
Find a local store
Pay us a visit and browse our wide selection of glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses.
Find a store
Eye health
Your eyes can actually tell us a lot about your general health.
Learn about eye health