American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [726]
Diagnosis and Treatment
A diagnosis of nearsightedness is based on the symptoms, a family health history, an eye examination, and the results of vision tests.
To correct nearsightedness a doctor will prescribe glasses or contact lenses that move the focal point for distant objects backward onto the retina to bring them into clear focus. Although nearsightedness is not likely to worsen after age 30, you should continue seeing your ophthalmologist for regular eye examinations.
Doctors may recommend a surgical procedure called LASIK (see below) to correct nearsightedness in people who cannot or do not want to wear glasses or contact lenses.
LASIK
LASIK (which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) is a surgical procedure that uses a laser (a highly concentrated beam of light) to reshape the cornea (the clear, protective covering at the front of the eye) to improve the focusing power of the eye. LASIK surgery is used to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism.
LASIK can also be performed to produce monovision, in which one eye is corrected for far vision clarity and the other eye is left nearsighted or corrected for reading (near) vision clarity. The procedure is not recommended for children under age 18 because their eyes are still developing. It is also not recommended for people whose eyewear has a very weak correction or a very powerful correction or for people who have certain eye diseases, such as dry eye (see page 1037), or very large pupils. People with some disorders (such as autoimmune diseases) and people who take medications that might interfere with healing are not good candidates for LASIK. Not all people who have the surgery achieve 20/20 vision without glasses or contact lenses. If you use reading glasses, you may still need to use them after surgery.
Contact Lenses
Contact lenses are thin, transparent, plastic disks that fit closely over the cornea (the clear, protective covering at the front of the eye) to help correct focusing disorders, including nearsightedness (see previous page), farsightedness (see next page), or astigmatism (see page 1033).
The three main types of contact lenses are hard lenses, gas-permeable hard lenses, and soft lenses. Hard lenses are made of tough plastic and are inexpensive and durable, but many people find them uncomfortable and difficult to wear. Gas-permeable hard lenses are more comfortable than hard lenses but are less durable and more expensive. Soft lenses are the most comfortable and easy to wear but are the most fragile. Extended-wear soft lenses can be worn continuously for several weeks. However, continuous wear increases the risk of eye infections.
Before prescribing contact lenses, an ophthalmologist or optometrist will examine your eyes to determine if contact lenses are appropriate for you. For example, if you have dry eyes, you may not be able to wear contacts. If contacts are appropriate for you, the ophthalmologist will then decide which type of lens will work best for you. He or she will show you how to insert and remove your lenses and tell you how to care for them.
Proper Use and Care of Contact Lenses
Proper use and care of your contact lenses will help protect your eyes and vision and can prolong the life of the lenses themselves. Here are some helpful tips:
• Before touching your lenses, wash your hands with mild soap, rinse them thoroughly, and dry them with a clean, lint-free towel.
• Handle the same lens first every time to help prevent mixing up the right and left lenses.
• Clean and disinfect your lenses every time you remove them, using only sterile, commercial lens care products recommended by your ophthalmologist. Follow package directions.
• Keep the lens storage case clean and fill it with fresh disinfecting solution each time you remove your lenses.
• Inspect each lens for tears, cracks, or nicks before inserting