If road signs come into focus later than they used to, or your child has started squinting at the TV, nearsightedness may be the reason. It is one of the most common vision problems there is, and it often starts in childhood and changes through the teen years.

The good news is that nearsightedness is easy to diagnose and very treatable. Here is what it is, the signs to watch for and the options for clear vision.

The Short Answer

Nearsightedness (myopia) means you see close objects clearly but distant objects look blurry. It happens when light focuses in front of the retina instead of directly on it, usually because the eye is slightly too long or the cornea is curved more steeply than usual. It can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, and some adults may be candidates for refractive surgery. A routine eye exam is all it takes to find out whether you are nearsighted and how strong your prescription should be.

What Is Myopia? Is It the Same as Nearsightedness?

Yes. Myopia is simply the medical term for nearsightedness. Both describe a refractive error, which means the eye does not bend (refract) light correctly to form a sharp image on the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.

In a nearsighted eye, light from distant objects comes into focus a little too soon, in front of the retina. By the time it reaches the retina, the image has spread out and looks blurry. Close objects usually stay clear.

Nearsightedness is the opposite of farsightedness, where distant objects tend to be clearer than close ones. You can learn more in our guide to farsightedness symptoms and treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Nearsightedness

The main symptom is blurry vision when looking at things far away. Other common signs include:

  • Trouble reading road signs, menus on the wall or scoreboards
  • Difficulty recognizing faces from across a room or parking lot
  • Squinting or partly closing your eyes to see distant things more clearly
  • Eye strain or tired eyes, especially after driving or watching a movie
  • Headaches after long periods of trying to focus on distant objects
  • Harder time driving at night, when distant details are already harder to see
  • Needing frequent prescription updates if you already wear glasses or contacts

Signs of Nearsightedness in Children

Children often don’t realize their vision is blurry, because they assume everyone sees the way they do. Parents and teachers can watch for:

  • Sitting very close to the TV or holding books and tablets close to the face
  • Squinting, frequent eye rubbing or excessive blinking
  • Trouble seeing the board at school, or a drop in school performance
  • Losing interest in sports or activities that rely on distance vision
  • Complaints of headaches or tired eyes

School vision screenings are helpful, but they are not a substitute for a full eye exam. Our guide to eye care at every stage of a child’s development covers when kids should be seen.

What Causes Nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness usually comes from the shape of the eye:

  • A longer eyeball. If the eye is slightly longer from front to back than average, light focuses in front of the retina. This is the most common cause.
  • A steeply curved cornea or lens. If the clear front surface of the eye (the cornea) or the lens inside the eye bends light too strongly, the result is the same.

Several factors are linked to developing myopia:

  • Genetics. Nearsightedness tends to run in families. Children with one or both parents who are nearsighted are more likely to become nearsighted themselves.
  • Lots of close-up work. Extended reading, screen time and other near tasks may contribute to myopia starting or progressing, especially in children.
  • Less time outdoors. Spending less time outside has been linked to a higher risk of myopia in children. Outdoor light and looking at distant objects may play a protective role.

How Is Nearsightedness Diagnosed?

An eye exam with an optometrist or ophthalmologist is the way to diagnose nearsightedness accurately. A comprehensive eye exam usually includes:

  • Visual acuity test. You read letters on a chart at a set distance. Results are written as a fraction like 20/20 or 20/50. Our article on what 20/20 vision means explains how to read those numbers.
  • Refraction. Your eye doctor places different lenses in front of your eyes, often using an instrument called a phoropter, and asks which looks clearer. This finds the exact prescription that gives you the sharpest vision.
  • Eye health evaluation. Your doctor examines the front and back of your eyes, sometimes after dilating the pupils with drops, to make sure nothing else is affecting your vision and to check the retina.

What Does a Prescription Like -2.00 Mean?

Eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions are measured in units called diopters, which describe how strong a lens needs to be to bring things into focus.

  • The minus sign (-) means nearsighted. A plus sign (+) means farsighted.
  • The number is the strength. A -1.00 is a mild correction, a -2.00 is somewhat stronger, and a -4.00 is stronger still. The larger the number after the minus sign, the more nearsighted you are.
  • Each eye can be different. It is common to have a different number for the right eye and the left eye.

Prescriptions in the range of roughly -5.00 to -6.00 or stronger are often described as high myopia. A prescription number and a 20/20-style acuity score measure different things, so one can’t be converted directly into the other. Your eye doctor can walk you through your own prescription at your visit.

Can Nearsightedness Be Corrected?

Yes. Nearsightedness can’t be cured, but it can be corrected very effectively. Your eye doctor will recommend options based on your prescription, eye health and lifestyle.

Eyeglasses

Glasses are the simplest and most common correction. Nearsighted lenses are concave (thinner in the middle), which moves the focus point back onto the retina. They are easy to update as your prescription changes.

Contact Lenses for Nearsightedness

Contact lenses sit directly on the eye, so they give a wider field of clear vision and stay put during sports and exercise. Many types are available, including daily disposables and lenses for people who also have astigmatism. Contacts require a fitting and good hygiene to lower the risk of infection and irritation.

Refractive Surgery

Some adults with a stable prescription choose laser vision correction, such as LASIK or PRK, which reshapes the cornea so light focuses on the retina. Refractive surgery is not right for everyone. Candidacy depends on factors such as the thickness and shape of your cornea, how stable your prescription has been and your overall eye health, and like any surgery it carries risks. An eye exam is the first step in finding out whether it is worth exploring.

Orthokeratology (Overnight Lenses)

Orthokeratology uses specially designed rigid lenses worn overnight to temporarily reshape the cornea, so you can see clearly during the day. The effect wears off if you stop wearing them.

Can You Reverse Nearsightedness?

Not in the sense of making the eye itself less nearsighted. Eye exercises, diets and supplements have not been shown to reverse myopia. Glasses and contacts correct your vision while you wear them, refractive surgery changes the shape of the cornea rather than the length of the eye, and overnight lenses work only as long as you keep using them.

Prescriptions do often change, though. Nearsightedness commonly gets worse through childhood and the teen years and tends to level off in early adulthood. That’s why regular exams matter, so your prescription stays accurate.

Nearsightedness in Children: Can Progression Be Slowed?

Because myopia often progresses as children grow, eye doctors pay close attention to how quickly a child’s prescription is changing. Approaches an eye doctor may discuss to help slow progression include:

  • Low-dose atropine eye drops
  • Specially designed contact lenses or eyeglass lenses
  • Orthokeratology lenses
  • Encouraging more time outdoors and regular breaks from close-up work

These approaches do not reverse nearsightedness, and results vary from child to child, but they may reduce how quickly it worsens. Talk with your child’s eye doctor about whether any of them make sense for your family.

Why High Myopia Needs Regular Eye Exams

A stronger prescription means the eye is usually longer, which stretches the retina. People with high myopia have a higher risk of eye problems later in life, including retinal tears and detachment, glaucoma and cataracts. Regular exams, including a look at the retina, help catch problems early.

Get emergency eye care right away if you notice a sudden shower of new floaters, flashes of light, or a shadow or curtain moving across your vision. These can be signs of a retinal tear or detachment, which needs prompt treatment.

When to See an Eye Doctor

Schedule an eye exam if you or your child:

  • Have trouble seeing distant objects clearly, even some of the time
  • Squint often or get frequent headaches or eye strain
  • Notice that your current glasses or contacts don’t seem as sharp as they used to
  • Have a family history of nearsightedness, especially for children

Clear Vision Close to Home

Tennessee Eye Care sees patients of all ages for nearsightedness at clinics in Harriman, Knoxville, Lenoir City, Morristown and Powell. Whether you need your first pair of glasses, a contact lens fitting or a check on your child’s changing prescription, find the clinic nearest you and schedule an eye exam.