Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, is a common vision condition in which near objects appear clear, but objects farther away look blurry. It occurs when the shape of the eye, or the shape of certain parts of the eye, causes light rays to bend inaccurately. Light rays that should be focused on nerve tissues at the back of the eye (retina) are focused in front of the retina, making distant objects appear blurry. Nearsightedness usually develops during childhood and adolescence, and it usually becomes more stable between the ages of 20 and 40. Myopia tends to run in families.

The most common symptoms of nearsightedness are trouble seeing things that are far away, needing to squint to see clearly, and eye strain (when your eyes feel tired or sore) . Some people who are nearsighted get headaches, but this isn’t as common. A basic eye exam can confirm nearsightedness.

Nearsightedness happens when your eyeball grows too long from front to back, or when there are problems with the shape of your cornea (clear front layer of the eye) or lens (an inner part of the eye that helps the eye focus) . These problems make light focus in front of the retina instead of on it, making far-away objects look blurry.

The most common treatments for nearsightedness are eyeglasses or contact lenses. Eyeglasses or contact lenses help to focus light on the retina in the back of your eye so that you can see more clearly. Adults can also get surgery to treat nearsightedness. The surgery changes the shape of your cornea so it can focus light properly on the retina.