23.7.2024
Lesezeit:
5 minutes

Myopia

The most common refractive disorder with an increasing tendency

Dr. Valéry Vinzent Wittwer

What does short-sightedness mean?

Short-sightedness is the most common type of defective vision and affects around 40% of the population and the trend is rising. Short-sightedness is inherited on the one hand and reinforced by increasing close work (smartphone, tablet, computer) in childhood on the other. This development can take place as part of the myopia control be slowed down with certain measures.

The short-sighted eye is typically longer than the normal-sighted eye, which has the disadvantage that light rays from afar are focused in front of the retina rather than on. Vision therefore becomes more and more blurry as the distance increases. In this case, the focal point or focus of the light rays that fall into the eye is in front of the retina. Nearby objects can still be seen sharply, but visual acuity decreases as the distance increases.

1. proximity
2. Middle or PC distance
3. Remote
4. Focus in front of the retina

Example: Someone who sees sharply with both eyes from the tip of his nose up to 40 cm away and ever more blurred needs a stray lens of -2.5 diopters. The physical formula is D (refractive power) = 1/f (focal length)

How can myopia be corrected?

Myopia can be corrected with glasses. So-called stray lenses (minus lenses) are used; the greater the myopia, the higher the number of diopters.

1. proximity
2. Middle or PC distance
3. Remote
4. eyeglass lens
5. Corrected focus on the retina

A short-sighted person's prescription for glasses could be as follows:

  • right eye: sphere -2.5 dpt
  • Left eye: sphere -2.5 dpt

Alternatively, soft or hard contact lenses can be adjusted.
Laser eye procedures allow corrections of up to approx. -6 dpt; greater nearsightedness is usually treated using so-called phaken intraocular lenses (PIOL).

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