Myopia (mi-OH-pee-uh), or nearsightedness, is a condition in which near objects are sharp and in focus, but distant objects are blurred. Nearsightedness is caused by the eye structure itself, rather than an underlying eye disease.
Myopia often occurs when an eye is larger than normal. It may also occur when the eye’s optics are too strong for its overall length. When an eyeball is large or its optics are overly strong, light rays from distant objects focus in front of the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. The result is blurred vision for distant objects but clear vision for near objects.
Myopia, like Astigmatism and Hyperopia, is a vision condition known as a refractive error, because it affects how the eye bends or “refracts” light.
