What Causes Short Sightedness?

Short-sightedness, otherwise known as myopia, is the eye condition that causes distant objects to appear blurred, while close objects can be seen clearly. Approximately 1 in every 6 British adult is myopic (17.8% of the population).

Typically, the onset of short-sightedness occurs in school-age around 6 to 14 years of age and progresses over time during the teenage years when the body grows rapidly and the eyes exert more hours of near work. However, it usually stabilises in the early years of adulthood.

The degree and severity of short-sightedness varies between people and can range from mild to high myopia where a person’s vision is significantly affected. Read on as our experts discuss the reasons for short-sightedness and how you can improve your sight.

What is Short-Sightedness?

Myopia, known as short-sightedness, is a common vision disorder in which the far horizon appears blurry . It happens when the eye’s anatomy makes light waves reflect backwards rather than forward of the retina, typically because of the eyeball is too long or a steeper cornea. Myopia typically appears during childhood or adolescence and may become debilitating with age. In cases of high myopia (precriptions -4.00 or above) even near objects may appear blurred.

Is Short Sightedness Genetic?

Myopia can be genetic, as it’s a mixture of genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, children are more likely to acquire myopia if one or both parents have short-sightedness. But environmental pressures such as extended close work (reading, increased use of watching digital screens), and limited exposure to outdoors can also contribute.

Can Short-Sightedness Cause Blindness?

Short-sightedness (myopia) usually doesn’t itself create blindness, but “high” myopia greatly raises the chance of getting eye diseases that could cause loss of vision or even blindness. If myopia exceeds -6.00 diopters, the consequences of myopic maculopathy, retinal detachment, glaucoma, and cataracts can occur. These conditions (in extreme cases) may all potentially lead to blindness if not addressed.

The Causes of Short-Sightedness

The exact causes of why people become short-sighted are not fully clear yet but our understanding of the cause of myopia has improved significantly over the past years with hundreds of scientific studies.

It has been suggested that both genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of short-sightedness. However, the rates of myopia prevalence vary amongst different ethnic and geographic populations, with East Asian populations having the highest incidence

Some studies have also demonstrated that the risk of a child being myopic increases with the number of myopic parents. This means that the chances of developing myopia when one of the parents is short-sighted doubles compared to those children whose none of the parents are myopic; and increases by almost eight times when both parents are myopic.

While it is very likely that genetic factors influence myopia development, the increase in prevalence over the years has suggested that environmental factors such as the amount of near-work and outdoor activities must also play a role.

The Causes of Short-Sightedness

We’ve already discussed the myopia/hereditary connection; however, it’s also been determined that genetic variations relate to the curvature (too curved) and length of  the eyeball (too long), leading to myopia. Myopia is more likely to be acquired by children of parents who are myopic, demonstrating that such genes shape and regulate the structure and functioning of the eye from the very beginning.

Genetics is a contributing cause, but environmental forces have now emerged as key factors in the rising incidence of myopia, particularly in contemporary societies. During long near-work periods (reading, studying, watching TV or reading from phones, tablets, or computers), people are more likely to get myopia. As the eye’s innate attention to objects at a distance is constant, this might initiate or accelerate the elongation of the eyeball, leading to the condition.

The rise of the digital age may also have contributed to the rise in myopia cases. More screen time, especially near-focus, stresses the eyes over time, which can lead to eye strain and myopia. Myopia occurs more frequently in the urban setting, with children spending more time in front of screens, rather than outside in daylight. Learn more about protecting your eyes from digital screens.

How to Improve Short-Sightedness

In the United Kingdom, myopia was found to affect 2% of children between 6-7 years old and 15% of 12–13-year-olds. It has been observed that as the prevalence of myopia increases, the onset happens at an earlier age and therefore allows more time for the degree of myopia to progress into high myopia.

Next, our experts discuss techniques to protect your eyes from short-sightedness.

Eye Exercises for Short-Sightedness

Eye exercises cannot prevent or slow the progression of  myopia, but they can help your eyes feel less tired and improve focussing ability.

• The 20-20-20 rule, where you take a 20-second break and look 20 feet away from something 20 minutes apart to stop the eye strain during near work.
• Focus change exercises, moving from a near object near further away thing to far one,can this strengthens the eye muscles
• Spend more time outdoors and reduce screen time – studies have shown children that spend more time outdoors are less likely to have myopia or have lower myopia compared to those who don’t.

Note, the above exercises are from various online eye websites to help avoid myopia. Are eye sciences able to offer any expert advice here? Further tips to set us aside from the tips used on other websites.

Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet 

Vegetable greens such as spinach, kale, and broccoli are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that shield the retina and delay the onset of myopia. Omega-3 fatty acids, in salmon and mackerel, support the retina and inhibit inflammation, which are essential to eye health. Moreover, foods rich in vitamin A such as carrots and sweet potatoes are also essential to good vision.

A diet rich in leafy greens, vegetables, and fish with omega-3 fatty acids can be useful for eye health and can protect your eyes from future disease such as macular degeneration.

Consider Laser Eye Surgery

Of course, contact lenses or glasses can be used to help you see better if you have myopia. However, for those who do not want a lifestyle where glasses or contact lenses are required, laser eye surgery can correct shortsightedness. Discover different types of laser eye surgery at Optegra to see which may be best suited for your needs.

The Importance of Time Outdoors

Outdoor activity has been associated with lower levels of myopia progression. It is believed that looking at a distant target for 2 to 3 hours could neutralise the effect of 9 to 12 hours doing near work.

Similarly, it has been demonstrated that exposure to natural sunlight stimulates the release of dopamine from the retina, which inhibits eye growth and the subsequent progression of myopia.

What Next? Give Us a Call

To learn more about how Optegra can help correct your myopia through laser eye surgery, book a free virtual consultation with one of our experts today.