What Are the Causes of Nearsightedness (Myopia)?

In the US, over 40% of people have nearsightedness or myopia. Eyes are some of the most sensitive organs of the body, but there several different conditions that can affect them. When someone has myopia, their vision of faraway objects is affected. In this article, we answer the question of what is nearsighted vision, what are the causes of nearsightedness, and how can you slow down the vision decline.

What Is Myopia?

Myopia is a vision condition that is also known as nearsightedness. The main indicator of this condition is that the person with myopia eyes sees nearby objects clearly, but struggles to see objects that are in the distance.

What is nearsighted exactly? From a scientific perspective, when a person has myopia eyes, the shape of the eyes is changed such that light rays are refracted or bent incorrectly. This causes a change in the focusing of images, from on the retina to in from of the retina.

Symptoms of Myopia Eyes

You can get your eyes tested to see if you have myopia by visiting your nearest eye doctor. The most common symptoms of myopia include the following:

·  Your vision is blurry when you are looking at objects that are in the distance.

·  You may find yourself having to partially close your eyes or squint them to see more clearly.

·  When you have eye strain, you may experience headaches.

·  It is also common to experience vision difficulties, especially at night and when driving a car.

If you want to know what is nearsighted and what your risk of developing it is, you have to look at the causes of this condition.

What Are the Causes of Nearsightedness?

Most cases of myopia develop during childhood. It is a condition that develops slowly in most cases, but it can also arise rapidly. Once detected in a child, the condition gradually worsens as the individual gets older.

One of the main causes of nearsightedness is family genes. It tends to run in families, so if one or both of your parents have it, then your chances are higher than someone without that history in their family.

Treating and Slowing Down Nearsightedness

If you have experienced any of the symptoms of myopia eyes mentioned above, you can confirm this with a basic eye exam. There are a few ways you can explore to compensate for the deteriorated vision. The most common is eyeglasses. Wearing prescription glasses can help restore your full vision and assist you to manage activities like night driving. You can also use contact lenses if you prefer.

Another way to address this eye condition is with the help of refractive surgery. This surgery is non-essential but can help a nearsighted person to see clearly without using eyeglasses and contact lenses.

You can also slow down the decline in your vision by reducing how much strain you subject your eyes to, cutting down or interspersing your screen time, using blue light filters, and positioning your computer monitor correctly. You can learn more about how to set up your desk and entire workstation correctly to reduce eyestrain.

How to Position Your Computer Screen and Workstation Correctly

Office ergonomics are so important because they affect you in the short-term and the long-term on many levels. If you get all the right office furniture and accessories but fail to position them ergonomically, you are in no better position than someone who didn't try.

Pros of Ergonomic Furniture

• Can help you correctly set up your workstation.
• A properly set up workstation can benefit your eyes and help with any straining.

Cons of Ergonomic Furniture

• Some ergonomic office furniture can be expensive.
• If you set up your workstation improperly, you won't ever get the benefits that ergonomics has to offer.

Workstation ergonomics encompasses a lot, including what kind of desk and office chair you use daily. You need a well-made ergonomic chair to help you sit comfortably on those long office days. An ergonomic chair has the user in mind. It allows you to adjust many of the features for your comfort and to the benefit of your posture. When you don't have a chair that you can customize to your build and preferences, then you may develop neck and backaches as well as poor posture over time.

Another essential element of an ergonomic office is a desk. Like the office chair, having adjustable features is an important aspect to consider. Unfortunately, most office desks on the market are not adjustable to the user's height and preferences. What you buy is what you get and what you are stuck with for as long as you have that desk.

If you want to improve your office experience, it is worthwhile to invest in a motorized standing desk. With a standing desk, you can break up the monotony of a sedentary work-life and opt to do some of your office work in the standing position. There are so many great things to love about this kind of desk. You can adjust it to several height levels and pair it with some great accessories to improve your posture, health, and enjoyment of your work time.

Finding the perfect height for your desk is essential no matter what kind of desk you have. You can find the right height of standing desk to use when you use a height calculator. When you are working at your desk in the standing or sitting position, the goal is the have your elbows at a 90-degree angle to the desk surface to avoid wrist strain.

If you have one or more monitors, then you might want to look into using a monitor arm. This office accessory allows you to change the position of your monitors to protect your eyes and neck from excessive strain. You should aim to keep your monitor between 20- 40 inches away from your eyes. Keeping the ideal distance is important, but it is also essential to give your eyes a short rest every 20 minutes or so by changing your focus to a faraway object. This method reduces eye strain and eye fatigue, which comes especially when you focus too long on the same thing.

Conclusion

Knowing what is nearsighted vision and what causes it important because it affects so many people. You can reduce the deterioration of your vision with the tips given.