Short sightedness, or myopia, is an extremely common condition that affects the ability to see objects that are far away while being able to see close by objects well.

In the UK it is estimated that 1 in 3 people have this condition and is becoming more common.

Like most eye-related conditions, short sightedness can vary in severity, meaning that some patient will not need any treatment, whereas others will have significant loss of vision.

If you believe that you or your child has short sightedness, it is important that you book an appointment with your local opticians.

It can be hard to know what is happening with a child, so here are some of the tell-tale signs of short sightedness in a child:

• Moving close to the TV screen
• Complaining about headaches and/or tired eyes
• Regularly rubbing their eyes
• Having to sit at the front of the class so that they can see the whiteboard

We recommended that you go to the opticians every two years, however you can always can an appointment sooner if you notice any changes in vision.

During the eye test they will look to see if you are long and short sighted. Once this has been conducted you may be prescribed glasses to correct your vision.

What causes short sightedness?

Short sightedness is usually caused by the eye becoming too long, affecting the ability for light to focus on the retina. It is not exactly clear why this happens, however it is thought to be linked to family history (runs in the family) and sitting to close to screens at a young age (it is important that children spend time away from screens during the day).

If short sightedness is diagnosed in a child between the age of 6 and 13, the condition may become significantly worse during teenage growth spurts.