What type of lens is used to correct nearsightedness?

"Everything's so blurry, and everyone's so fake..." That's how Puddle of Mudd started off Blurry, one of the top rock tracks of 2001. If those lyrics are starting to describe your vision, don't panic. It's likely that you have myopia, the technical term for nearsightedness. If your eye care professional determines that you need vision correction, you have a wide range of options.

But what type of lens is used to correct nearsightedness? It turns out that you can use corrective lenses or have refractive surgery. No matter which one you choose, you can rest easy knowing that you'll be able to see clearly.

Understanding nearsightedness (myopia)

Nearsightedness is a common vision condition that makes objects look blurry when you view them from a distance. It doesn't affect your ability to see objects that are just a few feet or a few inches away from you. For example, even if you can read just fine, you may have to squint to see a street sign or make out a family member in the distance.

You may have myopia if you have the following symptoms:

• You can't see clearly unless you squint. 
• You can't see things that are far away.
• Your eyes often feel tired or sore at the end of the day.

How lenses correct nearsightedness

Many people develop nearsightedness because their lenses or corneas have an abnormal shape. The lens is what allows you to focus on objects that are far away from you, while the cornea controls the amount of light that enters each eye.

If your lenses or corneas have an unusual shape, light doesn't focus correctly on the retina, which is the part of the eye responsible for capturing light waves and sending them to the brain for processing. This is known as a refractive error. Refraction is the scientific term for how light bends when it passes through an object.

Corrective lenses correct myopia and other refractive errors by changing the way light bends. This improves your focus, allowing you to see clearly even when objects are far away from you.

Types of lenses for nearsightedness correction

So, what type of lens is used to correct nearsightedness? It depends on your personal preferences. Some people wear prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, while others have refractive surgery. Here's an overview of your options.

Prescription eyeglasses

If you decide to wear eyeglasses, you'll need a pair with concave lenses. The surface of a concave lens curves inward, which allows a focused image to appear on the retina. Before you purchase glasses, it's important to have a professional eye exam. Your eye care professional can help determine the appropriate lens power for your glasses, ensuring that you can see clearly.

Lens power refers to the amount of power needed to make sure the focused image appears on your retina. The power you need depends on your degree of nearsightedness.

Contact lenses

Contact lenses sit directly on the surface of each eye, making it easier to see. Your eye care professional may recommend a multifocal lens, which is a contact lens that has multiple prescriptions. One prescription addresses your nearsightedness, while the other makes it easy to see things up close. This eliminates the need to wear reading glasses.

Soft contact lenses are made from flexible plastic, ensuring a comfortable fit. Gas-permeable lenses, also known as hard or rigid lenses, contain silicone-based compounds. These lenses are more durable than soft contacts, but both types work well for improving vision.

A scleral lens rests on the white part of your eye (the sclera), creating a smoother corneal surface. This corrects the refractive error responsible for nearsightedness. Scleral lenses are only available in gas-permeable varieties.

Orthokeratology lenses (ortho-k)

Orthokeratology, or ortho-k, which sounds like a cool retirement plan, is actually a nonsurgical option for correcting nearsightedness. Wearing ortho-k lenses at night helps change the shape of your corneas, eliminating the need to wear glasses or contacts during the day. Before you can get ortho-k lenses, your eye care professional must create a map of your corneas. This painless process ensures that the lenses fit well and provide just the right amount of vision correction.

Refractive surgery (LASIK, PRK)

Refractive surgery is a permanent solution for nearsightedness. Each procedure reshapes the corneas, preventing the refractive errors that make objects appear blurry when you view them from a distance. While performing a Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) procedure, an eye care professional makes a flap in the cornea and uses a laser to correct the refractive problem.

Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) also changes the shape of the cornea. The difference is that the surgeon removes the outer layer of the cornea instead of making a flap. As a result, it takes a little longer to perform PRK than it does to perform LASIK surgery.

Choosing the right lens type

If you'd rather wear lenses than have surgery, it's important to choose the right lens for your needs. Here's what you should consider when choosing prescription glasses or contact lenses.

Lifestyle and preferences

Lifestyle is one of the most important considerations when choosing a pair of lenses. If you love to spend time on the ski slopes or hang out on the beach, glasses can get in the way of doing the things you love. Contact lenses may be a better fit for your active lifestyle.

If you're a fashionista, however, it's fun to experiment with different types of glasses. Frames come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, giving you the freedom to explore new styles and figure out which one fits your personality.

Eye health and comfort

It's also important to consider your overall eye health. If you have astigmatism or another vision condition, you may need specialized lenses. For example, multifocal contacts are a great choice if you have myopia and don't want to wear reading glasses.

Comfort is another important consideration. If you're not thrilled about the idea of touching your eyes every day, you may want to go with glasses instead of contacts. Conversely, contact lenses are a good choice for someone who doesn't want eyeglass frames rubbing against their nose and ears.

Find contact lenses for myopia

Eyeglasses, contact lenses, and ortho-k lenses are all used to correct nearsightedness, giving you crystal-clear vision even when you're viewing objects at a distance. Before choosing a pair of lenses, see an eye care professional for a thorough exam. If you decide to go with contacts, find your preferred brand on the 1-800 Contacts website.

Frequently asked questions

Can children with nearsightedness wear contact lenses? 

Yes. Contact lenses are safe for children as young as 8 years old. 

Are there specific age limitations for orthokeratology? 

There's no hard age limit for orthokeratology. Your eye care professional will work with you to determine if you're an ideal candidate.

Is refractive surgery a permanent solution for nearsightedness? 

In many cases, refractive surgery is a permanent solution to nearsightedness. This is because LASIK and PRK change the shape of your corneas. Once you have this type of surgery, you won't need glasses or contact lenses for everyday use, but you may need reading glasses.