This can be due to a curvature of the cornea or an elongated, rather than spherical, shape of the eye. The condition also depends on how light refracts upon entering the eye and whether it focuses correctly onto the retina.
Without monitoring and control, myopia can create problems in the eye’s structures and cause a permanent worsening of vision.
Symptoms
- Blurred, hazy vision of distant objects – difficulty recognizing faces or reading text from a distance.
- Eyes tire quickly.
- Frequent headaches or a feeling of tension in the eyes.
- Squinting to focus better.
- Tilting the head when trying to focus on an object or text.
- Small children may be noticed holding their toys too close to their face.
Risk Factors
- Family History: If one or both parents are nearsighted, the child is more likely to develop myopia.
- Excessive Screen Time or Close-Up Reading: Especially in poor lighting.
- Diabetes: Uncontrolled diabetes leads to many eye diseases, including nearsightedness.
- Age: Nearsightedness typically begins to manifest in childhood or teenage years.
Diagnosis
At VISION Clinic, visual acuity is checked not only through the standard chart but also through examination with a refractometer, which measures how light passes through the eye and focuses on the retina.
The refractometer determines if you have nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, and provides accurate diopter values quickly and without contact.
The level of nearsightedness is determined in one of three degrees:
- Mild/Low: Under 3 diopters
- Moderate/Medium: From 3 to 6 diopters
- Severe/High: Over 6 diopters
Treatment
At VISION Clinic, patients have several options for myopia correction:
- Glasses and Contact Lenses: The most common methods for correcting nearsightedness. Explore our wide selection of glasses at VISION Optics, located in our hospital in Druzhba.
- Specialized Contact Lenses: VISION is the only clinic in Bulgaria that uses an innovative method that corrects vision without surgical intervention. These are orthokeratology lenses (Ortho-K), which are rigid contact lenses custom-made for each patient. Orthokeratology lenses work on the principle of influencing the shape of the cornea, correcting vision defects during sleep and providing impeccable vision during the day. Night lenses are inserted only in the evening, the patient sleeps with them, and removes them in the morning. Throughout the day, they do not need to wear glasses or lenses.
- Laser Refractive Correction: Allows for the complete elimination of wearing prescription glasses or contact lenses. Results are achieved quickly and painlessly. The procedure is performed with local anesthetic eye drops, and the patient is awake throughout.
VISION was the first clinic in the country to introduce laser corrections in ???. The accumulated experience over so many years ensures the most qualified expertise, and combined with the market-leading laser, guarantees the most precise results.
Prevention
- Regular eye exams.
- Studies show that more time outdoors in natural light reduces the risk of myopia progression.
- Limit screen time.
- Take frequent 10-15 minute breaks when working on a computer.
- Do not read in dim light.
- Limit smoking, as it is a risk factor for the development of many diseases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wearing glasses contributes to a higher quality of life. For some patients with a small degree of nearsightedness – 0.25 diopters – wearing glasses is not mandatory, as they can comfortably perform their daily activities. Patients with 0.50 diopters may see a little blurry but can still see well without glasses. People with 1.00 diopter of nearsightedness have difficulty seeing far away, and for them, wearing glasses for work becomes mandatory.
