Short-sightedness, or myopia, is a common eye condition where distant objects appear blurred and closer objects can be seen more clearly. 

Short-sightedness is becoming more common and generally affects 1 in 3 people. Levels of short-sightedness can vary from only requiring glasses for certain long distance tasks, such as driving, to more severe cases where glasses (or contact lenses) need to be worn at all times. 

What causes short-sightedness?

Short-sightedness usually occurs when the eyes grow slightly too long.

This means that light doesn't focus on the light-sensitive tissue (retina) at the back of the eye properly. Instead, the light rays focus just in front of the retina, resulting in distant objects appearing blurred.

This explains why myopia can sometimes progress rapidly during teenage years, as you grow the length of the eye increases. Myopia is a growing epidemic, at Chakshu London we offer solutions to help slow down the rate of myopia progression. To read more about these, see here

It's not clear exactly why this happens, but it often runs in families and has been linked to focusing on nearby objects, such as books and computers, for long periods during childhood. Ensuring your child regularly spends time playing outside may help to reduce their risk of becoming short-sighted.

Book your eye test now at Chakshu London opticians, it's the best way to find out if you are short-sighted and what you require in terms of glasses or contact lenses.