Short-sightedness (myopia)

Short-sightedness (myopia) is a very common eye condition where you cannot see objects far away clearly. It's usually corrected with glasses or contact lenses.

Signs of short-sightedness

Short-sightedness usually starts in children from age 6 to 13. It can also happen in adults.

Signs you or your child may be short-sighted include:

• difficulty reading words from a distance, such as reading the whiteboard at school

• sitting close to the TV or computer, or holding a mobile phone or tablet close to the face

• getting headaches

• rubbing the eyes a lot

Short-sightedness often runs in families, so you may have relatives who are also short-sighted.

It can get worse until the eye has stopped growing, at around 20 years of age.

If you have concerns about myopia in your child, take a look at our Myopia control lenses from Hoya