Do Myopia Glasses Worsen Your Vision?
Top ophthalmologists and optometrists confidently state that wearing myopia glasses does not worsen your vision or the shape of your eyes. This belief is a common misconception.
Understanding Myopia and Glasses
Myopia, commonly known as nearsightedness, occurs when the eyeball is too long, or the cornea (the clear front part of the eye) is too curved. This causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, making distant objects appear blurry. Wearing glasses corrects this refractive error, enabling your eyes to focus properly on distant objects.
Glasses Do Not Affect Eye Growth
One of the common myths is that myopia glasses force the eye to grow longer and worsen your vision. This is entirely false. The analogy is often drawn with shoes and feet: just as you don't grow taller due to wearing shoes, your eyes don't grow longer due to wearing glasses. Glasses merely help you see clearly, while your natural growth and shape of your eyes remain unchanged.
Myopia and Lens Use
Whether or not myopia glasses worsen your vision can depend on how you use them. Glasses prescribed for myopia are designed to correct your vision when focusing on distant objects. However, removing these glasses to read or do close work can relieve the unnecessary effort your eyes must exert to focus on nearby objects. This can provide temporary relief but does not cause long-term damage. In fact, it is recommended that you keep wearing your glasses for activities like driving, watching TV, or movies.
How Myopia Glasses Function
Myopia glasses function by moving the point of light convergence to the retina, correcting the focusing error. For example, if you have myopia, you might find it difficult to focus on objects at a distance. When you put on myopia glasses, the light from distant objects is redirected, allowing you to focus properly. However, for very close objects, the glasses might cause strain if you're not used to them, but this is temporary and doesn't lead to worsening vision.
Impact of Glasses on Myopia Development
Research shows that myopia can develop or worsen irrespective of whether you wear glasses or not. Several factors can influence the progression of myopia, including genetic predispositions, environmental factors, and eye usage habits. Wearing your prescribed glasses for myopia might not necessarily prevent the progression of myopia.
Wearing Glasses for Myopia
For those with myopia, the primary purpose of glasses is to allow clear vision at a distance. Activities like driving, watching movies, or viewing a TV screen will be significantly improved with the use of these glasses. However, if you need glasses for near work, such as reading, it is recommended to wear them even during such activities to maintain the balance between your eyes and the corrective lenses.
If your optician has prescribed a prescription for nearsighted glasses, it is important to wear them consistently. Wearing them for reading and watching TV can initially feel strained, but over time, your vision will adapt, providing better balance and comfort.
Remember, while glasses can correct your vision, they do not change your inherent genetic predisposition to myopia. Managing your eye health involves overall eye care and regular check-ups with your eye care provider.