Short-sightedness

Myopia
Difficulty seeing clearly in the distance. You can see nearby objects clearly.

Appointments

Eye diseases

Refractive error

Short-sightedness, or myopia, is the most common refractive error. You can see clearly at close range, but your distance vision is blurred.

Focus falls in front of the retina

Your eye is too long. As a result, light rays converge in front of your retina.

Your spectacle lenses therefore have a negative power, for example −3 dioptres (−3 D).


Because your eye is relatively too long, the focus falls in front of the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurred. Click to enlarge.

Omdat uw oog relatief te lang is, valt de focus voor het netvlies. Hierdoor ziet u verre voorwerpen wazig.

Left: normal eye | right: eye with myopia.

Because your eye is relatively too long, the focus falls in front of the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurred.

Symptoms

The main symptom of short-sightedness is blurred distance vision.

Causes

  • Family history
  • Age: short-sightedness often increases during puberty and stabilises afterwards.

Treatment

Below are some possible treatments for this condition. After the diagnosis, your doctor will work with you and the other doctors on the team to select the best option for you. Your treatment may therefore differ from the treatment or treatments described below.

Last edit: 25 july 2026