Myopia: Corrective lenses and other correction options

People who are nearsighted have a refractive error called myopia. Myopia correction refers to all the options available for clearing up their blurry distance vision. These include corrective eyeglasses and contact lenses and refractive surgery. A myopia correction lens is called a “minus lens.”

Myopia is a very common refractive error that causes blurry distance vision. People with myopia can usually see nearby objects much more clearly than distant objects. This is why it's called nearsightedness.

For most people, myopia is caused by the eyeball growing too long during childhood. It can also be due to the cornea or lens being curved too steeply. In rare cases, a person can be nearsighted if the lens is too close to the cornea. 

Each of these factors can cause light that enters the eye to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. They cause the eyes to have a stronger focusing power than eyes without myopia.

This focusing error is what causes blurry distance vision. A lens that corrects myopia is called a “minus lens” because it reduces this focusing power. 

Options for myopia correction include:

• Standard prescription eyeglasses

• Standard prescription contact lenses

• Orthokeratology

• LASIK and other refractive surgery (after the myopia stops progressing)

Myopia usually begins in early childhood. But it can continue to get worse throughout childhood and even high school and college. This is called myopia progression. 

LASIK and other types of refractive surgery are not good options until after myopia stabilizes. This is typically sometime between the ages of 15 and 24. 

It's very important for kids with progressive myopia to wear up-to-date lens prescriptions. Wearing standard corrective lenses that are too weak can cause myopia to progress more quickly.

It's also important to know that standard corrective lenses don't stop myopia from getting worse. Special myopia control methods are the only way to reduce myopia progression. Myopia control can be very effective, but it only works while nearsightedness is still progressing.

Myopia control methods include: 

• Myopia control eyeglasses

• Myopia control contact lenses

• Orthokeratology (effective as both myopia correction and control)

• Atropine eye drops 

• 90 minutes of outdoor sunlight per day

• Frequent vision breaks during near-work activities

The best first step in managing and correcting myopia is early detection. Pediatric eye exams are key and should begin when a baby is around 6 months old. 

If it's been more than a year since your or your child's last eye exam, schedule one today with an eye doctor near you.

Page published on Friday, January 24, 2020

Page updated on Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Medically reviewed on Monday, May 23, 2022