How Myopia Progresses  --  Illustrated

Our eyes are designed for distant viewing.  They are at rest (i.e. completely relax) when looking at distant objects, as shown in Figure 1.

Light rays from distant objects are normally represented with parallel lines as shown in Figure 1 Large. When an object is moved closer, light rays from that object will come to a focus behind the retina, resulting in a blurred image, as shown in Figure 2.  Fortunately, this only happens to old people who have presbyopia.

For most people(who don't have presbyopia), when looking at close objects, our eyes immediately and automatically tense up by tightening the ciliary muscle around the lens, thereby making the lens thicker in order to bend the light rays more so that they come to a focus on the retina as shown in Figure 3.

When we do too much close work, the eyes get stuck in the tense position and the lens fails to return to its original shape.  The lens becomes thicker and the eye can no longer see distant objects clearly.  Light rays from distant objects come to a focus in front of the retina resulting in a blurred image as shown in Figure 4.  The eyes can no longer see 6 meters (20 feet) or more clearly.  They can only see clearly up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) as shown in Figure 5.  Anything beyond is very slightly blurry.

We continue to do lots of close work (Figure 3) After a while, the lens becomes thicker again and distant objects become more blurry (Figure 6) than before.  Now the eyes can see clearly up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) only, as shown in Figure 7.  Anything beyond is now more blurry than before.

The problem begins.

Our parents take us to the eye doctor's.  The eye doctor gives us a pair of prescription glasses (minus lens) and tells us to wear it all the time.  The prescription glasses seem to solve the problem.  Distant objects which were blurry before are now clear.  The minus lens which bends the light rays away from the center does the trick since the light rays from distant objects which came to a focus in front of the retina (Figure 6) will now come to a focus on the retina (Figure 8) resulting in a clear image.

Figure 8 Large is the enlarged version of Figure 8.

We wear the prescription glasses (minus lens) all the time as told by the eye doctor.  We continue to do lots of close work, wearing the glasses.  Remember, close work alone puts lots of stress on our eyes as shown in Figure 3 Large.

Close work with the prescription glasses puts more stress on the eyes.  If the eyes stay still, the rays which are bent away more from the center by the minus lens will end up behind the retina (Figure 9 Large.)

The eyes have to work harder (make the lens thicker) to focus the rays on the retina (Figure 10 Large.)

After a while, the pressure in the eyes causes the eyes to elongate (Figure 11 Large.)

Now the eyes do not need to work as hard to focus the rays on the retina (Figure 12 Large.)

However, distant objects become blurred (Figure 13 Large.)

The problem continues.

Our parents take us to the eye doctor's for the second time.  The eye doctor gives us a pair of stronger prescription glasses.  Distant objects become clear again (Figure 14 Large.)

We wear the stronger  glasses all the time as told by the eye doctor.  We continue to do lots of close work, wearing the glasses.  Remember, close work with the weaker glasses puts enough stress on our eyes as shown in Figure 12 Large.

Close work with the stronger glasses puts more stress on the eyes.  If the eyes stay still, the rays which are bent away more from the center by the stronger minus lens will end up behind the retina (Figure 15 Large.)

The eyes have to work harder (make the lens thicker) to focus the rays on the retina (Figure 16 Large.)

After a while, the pressure in the eyes causes the eyes to elongate (Figure 17 Large.)

Now the eyes do not need to work as hard to focus the rays on the retina (Figure 18 Large.)

However, distant objects become blurred (Figure 19 Large.)

The problem continues.

Our parents take us to the eye doctor's for the third time.  The eye doctor gives us a pair of stronger prescription glasses (minus lens.) Distant objects become clear again (Figure 20 Large.)

We wear the stronger glasses all the time as told by the eye doctor.  We continue to do lots of close work, wearing the glasses.  Remember, close work with the weaker glasses puts enough stress on our eyes as shown in Figure 18 Large.

Close work with the stronger glasses puts more stress on the eyes.  If the eyes stay still, the rays which are bent away more from the center by the stronger minus lens will end up behind the retina (Figure 21 Large.)

The eyes have to work harder (make the lens thicker) to focus the rays on the retina (Figure 22 Large.)

After a while, the pressure in the eyes causes the eyes to elongate (Figure 23 Large.)

Now the eyes do not need to work as hard to focus the rays on the retina (Figure 24 Large.)

However, distant objects become blurred (Figure 25 Large.)

The problem continues.

Our parents take us to the eye doctor's for the fourth time.  The eye doctor gives us a pair of stronger prescription glasses (minus lens.) Distant objects become clear again (Figure 26 Large.)

We wear the stronger glasses all the time as told by the eye doctor.

Nearsighted people's worst nightmare

One day while we are jogging, suddenly, the retina of the eye detaches from the back wall of the eye (Figure 27.)  Our vision is lost forever.

Thanks to the Eye Doctors

Thanks to the eye doctors who continuously prescribe us with stronger and stronger minus lens and tell us to wear it all the time. Thanks to the eye doctors who, up to this minute, still deny the long-term effects of wearing the minus lens all the time. Thanks to the eye doctors who know nothing more than prescribing stronger and stronger minus lens.

The problem ends.

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