What Causes Nearsightedness?

If an eye doctor has diagnosed you with myopia, or nearsightedness in Charleston, this means you have a refractive error that causes distant objects to appear blurry. Nearsighted people can usually see close objects clearly but they may need to wear corrective lenses to see well at a distance.

Nearsightedness can occur for one of two reasons:

• The eyeball is too long
• The cornea is too steep

When either of these conditions are present, light entering the eyes will focus in front of the retina (the back of the eye), instead of directly on the retina, causing blurred distance vision. Myopia can usually be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

After age 21, myopia can be corrected surgically for some patients through LASIK vision correction. Dr. O'Day performs blade-free LASIK in Charleston to alter the shape of your cornea by removing a microscopic amount of tissue so light can focus correctly on the retina. This procedure has been highly effective in helping nearsighted people achieve 20/20 vision.

According to the American Optometric Association, nearsightedness affects almost 30% of the United States population. This vision condition usually develops in children and it may progress into a person’s early 20s. But with today’s advanced LASIK technology in Charleston, achieving clear distance vision can be a reality.

LASIK is not right for everyone. If you are nearsighted and are curious to know if LASIK might work for your eyes, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery today at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule a free, no-obligation LASIK Consultation. 

Enjoy Library Lovers’ Month with Clear Vision

February is Library Lovers’ Month…a great time to celebrate how libraries of all types benefit our communities. It’s also a great time to pick up a book and rekindle your love of reading.

However, if you are farsighted and have trouble focusing on printed items close-up, you may become discouraged by the need to constantly locate your glasses in order to read. If farsightedness has plagued your eyesight for years, Dr. O'Day at Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery may be able to help. Dr. O'Day has performed thousands of LASIK procedures in Charleston, helping many farsighted patients achieve 20/20 vision. Patients are often amazed at how clear their close-up vision is after LASIK.

If you are over age 40 and feel that you are just now experiencing farsightedness, you are most likely experiencing a completely different vision condition called presbyopia. Unlike a refractive error, presbyopia occurs to most people as they age and is caused when the eye lens begins to stiffen. People with presbyopia have trouble focusing on close-up objects, including menus and books, and require reading glasses to see more clearly.

Monovision LASIK is sometimes performed to help minimize the effects of presbyopia by correcting one eye for up-close vision and one eye for distance vision; however, traditional LASIK does not correct presbyopia.

To find out if you qualify for bladeless LASIK in Charleston, contact Charleston Cornea & Refractive Surgery at 843-856-5275 or charlestoncornea.com to schedule a free LASIK Consultation. Most patients report improved vision the day after their procedures; you might be able to enjoy Library Lovers’ Month with clear vision after LASIK!

Here are some other observations during February to complement Library Lovers’ Month:

• Saturday, Feb. 7: Take Your Child to the Library Day
• Saturday, Feb. 14: International Book Giving Day (share your love of reading on Valentine’s Day!)