myopia

American  

[mahy-oh-pee-uh] / maɪˈoʊ pi ə /

noun

1. Ophthalmology. a condition of the eye in which parallel rays are focused in front of the retina, objects being seen distinctly only when near to the eye; nearsightedness (hyperopia ).

2. lack of foresight or discernment; obtuseness.

3. narrow-mindedness; intolerance.

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myopia British  

/ maɪˈəʊpɪə, maɪˈɒpɪk /

noun

1. inability to see distant objects clearly because the images are focused in front of the retina; short-sightedness

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myopia Scientific  

/ mī-ō′pē-ə /

1. A defect of the eye that causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, resulting in an inability to see distant objects clearly. Myopia is often caused by an elongated eyeball or a misshapen lens.

2. Also called nearsightedness

3. Compare hyperopia

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myopia Cultural  

1. Nearsightedness. Myopia is a visual defect in which light that enters the eye is focused in front of the retina rather than directly on it, so that distant objects appear blurred. Myopia can be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or LASIK.

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Discover More

The term is often used to indicate an inability to see into the future: “The new policy is incredibly myopic, and puts future generations at a great disadvantage for the sake of a few short-term gains.”

Other Word Forms

• myopic adjective
• myopically adverb

Etymology

Origin of myopia

First recorded in 1685–95; from New Latin, from Greek myōpía, from myōp- (stem of mýōps, “nearsighted,” literally, “blinking,” from mý(ein) “to shut” + ṓps “eye, face”) + -ia -ia; eye ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does myopia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• astigmatism vs. myopia

Explanation

Myopia is nearsightedness, which means you see things more clearly that are closer to your eye. You probably suffer from myopia if you walk into the living room and notice the chair in front of you but not the chair ten feet away. If you have myopia, things farther away look out of focus. Also, this can mean narrow-mindedness and intolerance. Due to the first kind of myopia, someone might always hold the menu two centimeters from their eyeballs at restaurants. Due to the second kind, someone might avoid people with different opinions from their own.

Example Sentences

Progression slowed in both the placebo and the atropine groups in the later years of the trial, but that’s to be expected because myopia slows as children grow up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

European regulators have also green-lit treatments by Sydnexis for progressive childhood myopia and Atara-Pierre Fabre’s for a rare blood cancer, both of which were recently rejected by the FDA.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

If validated, this proposed mechanism could significantly change how scientists and clinicians think about myopia progression.

From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026

For years, the sharp rise in myopia -- or nearsightedness -- has largely been blamed on growing screen use, particularly among children and young adults.

From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026

Lon had been right, of course: years of poring over manuscripts had given the Librarian severe myopia, and he wore thin half-moon spectacles on the end of his nose.

From "The Reader" by Traci Chee

Related Words

• narrow-mindedness