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 (opposed to 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; see also 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

Myopia typically develops in early childhood and progresses until a child stops growing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Myopia usually starts during primary school years and tends to worsen until the eye has stopped growing, at about 20 years of age.

From BBC • Sep. 24, 2024

To do this, the team performed a cohort study and looked at the visual acuity of 967 Japanese patients at TDMU's Advanced Clinical Center for Myopia after 3 and 5 years had passed.

From Science Daily • Dec. 13, 2023

Myopia often starts during childhood, due to a mismatch between how fast the eye is growing and where light is focusing on the retina.

From National Geographic • Nov. 1, 2023

Myopia 2 D. on both sides, visual acuteness = 5/9.

From Schweigger on Squint A Monograph by Dr. C. Schweigger by Schweigger, C.

Related Words

• narrow-mindedness