What is Nearsightedness? Why Does It Happen?

Nearsightedness or nearsightedness is an eye defect that can cause near objects to be seen clearly but distant objects to be blurry. In other words, myopia can reduce the person's quality of life by making it difficult to see far away. Farsightedness, one of the most common eye problems all over the world, usually develops in childhood and often becomes stable between the ages of 20 and 40. This disease, which can develop for various reasons, may not cause symptoms until the defect in the eye reaches a certain level. Nearsightedness in the eye can usually be diagnosed as a result of an eye examination performed by an ophthalmologist, and the most appropriate treatment plan for the patient can be decided. There are multiple treatment methods for the disease of farsightedness (myopia).

What is Nearsightedness?

This disease, known as nearsightedness or nearsightedness, occurs due to structural defects or disorders in the eye or certain parts of the eye. As a result of the structural defect in the eye, the light rays coming into the eye are refracted in a different way than usual, and the rays that should be focused on the retina, the nerve area at the back of the eye, fall in front of the retina. The retina is the area at the back of the eye that collects incoming rays and converts the light into electrical signals that the brain can read. This disease, which usually occurs when the eyeball is longer than it should be or when the cornea structure, which is the transparent part in front of the eye, is curved, causes the inability to see distant objects clearly. There are various types of nearsightedness depending on how it occurs. These types can be listed as follows:

• Congenital nearsightedness:This condition, which is usually diagnosed in early childhood, occurs due to a congenital structural defect in the eye. li>
• Degenerative (pathological) Nearsightedness: This genetically transmitted condition may cause the eyeball to grow faster than usual, causing severe nearsightedness in young adulthood. If left untreated, it can progress and cause serious vision problems. In addition to problems with distant vision, it can also cause abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye, increasing the patient's likelihood of developing glaucoma (eye pressure) and cataracts.

What is the name of nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness disease can be named in various ways in the medical literature. myopia, which is a more commonly used naming form than others, means the inability to see far. Due to this eye defect, an individual who can see nearby objects clearly sees distant objects as blurry. It is also known as narrow-mindedness or near-sightedness.

What are the symptoms of nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness can be seen at almost any age. The most common symptom of this disease is the inability to see clearly into the distance. People with distance vision problems may often have difficulty driving or recognizing distant people or objects. Children and teenagers with this disease may have difficulty seeing the blackboard at school. In general, the symptoms of nearsightedness can be listed as follows:

• Blurred vision when examining distant objects
• Squinting the eyelids to see more clearly
• Occasionally felt eyesight. fatigue
• Headache
• Strabismus
• Frequent eye rubbing
• Frequent blinking

Reasons for Shortsightedness

Nearsightedness generally occurs when your eye extends from front to back. There are various risk factors that can cause this deterioration in the eye. These can be listed as follows:

• Age: Refractive error occurs in the eye due to aging. According to research, nearsightedness usually begins between the ages of 6 and 14 and can become more serious towards the early 20s. This situation may become stable between the ages of 20 and 40. Other refractive error diseases can be listed as hyperopia and astigmatism.
• Diabetes: Sometimes diabetes can cause nearsightedness. Increased blood sugar may cause the lens structure to change due to the increase in the sugar and water ratio in the lens.
• Long-term visual stress: Situations such as looking at a computer, television or reading a book closely for a long time may cause problems in seeing far.< /li>
• Genetics: If the parents have this disease, the risk of the disease in children may increase.
• Surgical procedures: Surgical procedures performed on the eye may temporarily cause the inability to see clearly in the distance.
• Outdoors. spending less time: The likelihood of development may be lower in people who spend more time outdoors.

Nearsightedness Glasses Numbers

An individual with a nearsightedness problem can see the distance more clearly by purchasing the appropriate glasses prescribed after a doctor's check-up. Nearsightedness can be classified as low, medium or high according to its degree:

• Low: The degree of nearsightedness between -0.25 and -2.00
• Medium: Farsightedness degree between -2.25 and -5.00
• High: Farsightedness degree between -5.00

Diagnosis of Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness can be diagnosed with various tests performed by an ophthalmologist. In the light of these tests, the doctor examines both eye health and vision status. Tests performed for the diagnosis of this disease can be listed as follows.

• Snellen Chart: A board called snellen chart, which has letters of various sizes on it, is placed at a certain distance from the patient and the patient tries to read the letters specified by the doctor.< /li>
• Phoropter: With the help of this device, a series of lenses are placed in front of the eye and the eye's sensitivity to light is tested with the help of a retinoscope. Lenses are changed according to the patient's feedback, and this process continues until the most suitable lens is adjusted for the patient.

Treatment for Nearsightedness

Once nearsightedness is diagnosed, more than one treatment method can be applied to treat this condition. These treatment methods, which may vary depending on various factors, can be listed as follows:

• Glasses: Glasses, one of the corrective lens types, are one of the most common methods used to treat this disease. Corrective lenses can compensate for structural changes in the eye by changing the focus of the rays entering the eye. Glasses given in accordance with the degree in the eye can prevent blurred vision of distant objects at all times or in some cases, depending on the patient's condition.
• Contact Lens: Another type of corrective lenses is contact lenses. Contact lenses provide a wider angle of vision than glasses. Keeping the lenses attached directly to the cornea clean is important for eye health.
• CRT (Orthokeratology): This treatment method aims to reshape the cornea, using special lenses to temporarily change the shape of the cornea. is applied. In this treatment, the curve of the cornea is flattened.
• Eye Laser Surgery: It can be applied in different ways.
• Lasik: In this treatment method, the front of the cornea is removed. The thin membrane in the cornea is removed and the internal structure of the cornea is reshaped using laser beams.
• Lasek: In this method, laser beams are applied without removing the membrane in the front part of the cornea. Lasek is generally used when the structure of the cornea is not suitable for the Lasik procedure.

How to Cure Nearsightedness?

Nearsightedness does not heal on its own, but its progression can be stopped by various methods. For patients suitable for a permanent solution, eye laser surgery can provide an effective treatment. Patients can control the problem by following these steps along with the treatment method recommended by the doctor:

• Limiting the time spent in front of the screen
• Keeping a certain distance from the screen
< li>Doing eye exercises to prevent lazy eye
• Spending more time outdoors
• Having regular eye checks
• Using sunglasses to protect against UV rays
• To control diseases such as blood pressure and diabetes
• To follow a diet that supports eye health
• To quit smoking and alcohol

To treat nearsightedness If left untreated, it may cause symptoms such as headaches, squinting, and more serious eye diseases. If you think you have symptoms of this disease, do not forget to see your ophthalmologist for early diagnosis and treatment.