Eyecare

Myopia is commonly known as” shortsightedness”. A person with myopia is able to see close objects clearly but objects that are further away will appear blurred.
We can see objects around us because light rays from these objects enter our eyes. These light rays are bent at the cornea and the eye lens before forming an image on the inner layers of the called the retina. This image is then transmitted by nerve signals to the brain. The brain interprets these signals so that we see the object.
If the light rays are focused directly on the retina, we see a sharp image. Myopia occurs when the light rays from distant objects are focused in front of the retina instead of on it, resulting in blurred images on the retina. This is usually because the eyeball is too long or sometimes the cornea and lens do not bend the light rays properly. Spectacles are needed to help focus the light rays onto the retina.
In Singapore, about half of our children develop myopia by the age of 12 years. Children are also becoming more myopic at a younger age.