What is Myopia?
In the United States, people commonly refer to myopia as nearsightedness. It is a condition where the eye is too powerful or too long — myopia results in reduced distance vision.
When a person is myopic, they can see at near. The more nearsighted a person is, the closer they need to be to see well. Those with a higher myopic prescription will need to hold objects very close to see clearly.
In the past, eye doctors thought myopia was only a vision problem, but not a medical concern. Today we know that as myopia levels progress, there is a linear increase in sight-threatening eye conditions. These conditions even when treated, may not restore vision to normal.
Risks of Myopia
New York Myopia Control focuses on reducing the risks associated with higher levels of myopia. As the eye grows longer in myopic patients, pathology becomes more likely.
Even regular age-related changes to the eye, such as cataract can lead to significant vision loss. In higher myopic patients, cataracts may develop earlier and require surgery to remove the cataract. Cataract surgery risks are generally low.
However, extremely nearsighted people suffer from more complications such as retinal detachments after cataract surgery. Furthermore, the chart provided is an example of several conditions that are directly influenced by the level of myopia.