by Administrator
22. February 2010 08:27
Myopia or near sightedness is an eye defect in which the image of the object being seen is formed in front of the retina, unlike the normal image formation on the retina. This causes near placed objects to be viewed clearly, but objects that are situated far off appears to be blurred. The two causes of myopia are: either the eye ball is too wide or the cornea is too steep which leads to formation of the image in front of the retina, rather than on it. As the image is formed on the vitreous inside the eye, this leads to the formation if a blurred image.
Symptoms of Myopia
The main symptoms of this eye defect include blurred viewing of far off objects, extreme headaches and giddiness while concentrating on far off objects. While looking at distant objects, myopic people tend to squint their eyes.
Diagnosis of Myopia
A patient's vision for the detection of myopia is tested by making him read letters or numbers on a chart posted a set distance away (nearly 20 ft). The investigating doctor/ optometrist asks the patient to look at and read the board through a variety of lenses to obtain the best correction. Optometrist concerned also carefully examines the inside of the eye and the retina. An instrument known as a slit lamp is used to examine the cornea and the eye lens. The prescription for the corrective eyeglass is written in terms of dioptres (D), which measure the degree of refractive error. Based on this prescription, the patient can get the corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses made.
Treatment
There are 2 ways of treating the problem of myopia and achieving clear vision again. One can choose the preferred treatment by them on the basis of age, health, intensity of the defect and the cost factor. The two possible alternatives are:
- Corrective lenses: According to the vision testing results, eye glasses or contact lenses with the prescribed power can be purchased and made use of for restoring proper vision. This is the best possible treatment as it is the least invasive, longest-standing, and the most adjustable option. In young age, the power keeps fluctuating time and again. Glasses and lenses can be changed from time to time. They are also more economical than other treatment i.e. Laser surgery.
- Laser surgery: Laser surgery is another widely accepted treatment for myopia. There is a good percentage of success rates in treating Myopia of eye through Laser Surgery. In most of the cases, a patient does not need to wear eye glasses or lens after surgery. In some cases, there may again occur the need to wear the glasses.
Prevention of Myopia
The following points should be taken care of, from an early age for prevention of myopia:
- Do not watch T.V. or computer, continuously for long stretches of time. Take a break, wash your eyes and look around after every 40 minutes.
- Watch T.V. from a distance. Do not sit too close and watch. It will strain and eventually damage the eye muscles.
- Take a diet rich in vitamin A, with lots of papaya, carrots, milk products, cod liver oil and meat.
- Get routine vision tests done.
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