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Eye Diseases and Conditions

Picture of Nearsightedness

Picture of Nearsightedness

Nearsightedness affects 20%-30% of the population, but this eye disorder is easily corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery. People who have myopia or nearsightedness have difficulty seeing distant objects, but can see objects that are near clearly. In people with myopia, the eyeball is too long or the cornea has too much curvature, so the light entering the eye is not focused correctly. Light rays of images focus in front of the retina, the light-sensitive part of the eye, rather than directly on the retina, causing blurred vision.

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Reviewed by Andrew A. Dahl, MD, FACS on September 17, 2009

Image Source: iStockphoto / Izvorinka Jankovic

Text: WebMD Medical Reference in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic on MedicineNet - Myopia