Does Nearsightedness Get Worse as You Get Older?

Does nearsightedness get worse as you get older? Or does nearsightedness get worse if you don’t take care of it? Read on as a Highland, MI optometrist talks about nearsightedness and why it’s important to manage nearsightedness and slow its rate of progression.

What Is Nearsightedness? 

Nearsightedness, also known as myopia or shortsightedness, is a vision problem that occurs when the eyeball is too long from front to back (also called axial length). This makes it hard for light to focus directly on your retina when you look at objects up close. Instead, the light focuses in front of or behind the retina, which can blur your vision. 

Myopia usually begins in childhood or adolescence and affects both eyes. It tends to worsen over time if left untreated. 

Managing Nearsightedness – Is It Really Necessary? 

It’s important to control myopia because it can cause real problems in the long run.

If you are nearsighted, you may experience problems such as blurred vision and eye strain, causing pain and discomfort. You may also have trouble seeing things clearly in the distance. And if you don’t treat your condition, it can lead to more serious problems. 

This condition can lead to many problems down the line, including an increased risk of retinal detachment and glaucoma. It can also cause headaches, eye strain, and fatigue. Myopia is one of the leading causes of vision loss among adults in industrialized nations.

This is why it’s so important to get regular eye exams from an optometrist or ophthalmologist, so they can help you determine the best way to manage your condition.

Myopia Management Treatments

Myopia management refers to treatment options that help people with myopia slow or stop its progression over time. Treatment options include:

• Atropine eye drops – These drops are used to temporarily control the progression of myopia in children younger than 8 years old who have moderate to high amounts of nearsightedness.
• Contact lenses – Contact lenses can help people with myopia control the progression of their condition by providing additional focus for near tasks.  
• Laser eye surgery is one of the most effective ways to treat myopia. It uses a laser to reshape your cornea, which helps reduce the amount of refractive error in your eyes.
• Refractive surgery –A treatment option for people with high myopia who have a family history of the condition.

If you have any further questions or would like to schedule a consultation, please call our Highland, MI optometry office anytime!