How Is Nearsightedness Treated?
Glasses, contact lenses, or refractive surgery can correct nearsightedness. With myopia, your prescription for glasses or contact lenses is a negative number, such as -3.00. The higher the number, the stronger your lenses will be. The prescription helps the eye focus light on the retina, clearing up the vision.
Refractive surgery can reduce or even eliminate your dependence on glasses or contact lenses. The most common procedures for nearsightedness include:
- Photorefractive keratectomy. Also called PRK, this surgery employs a laser to remove a layer of corneal tissue. That flattens the corneal curvature and allows light rays to focus closer to or even on the retina.
- Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. This surgery is commonly called LASIK. The surgeon uses a femto laser or mechanical instrument to cut a thin flap through the top of the cornea. Then an excimer laser is used to sculp the exposed corneal tissue, and the flap is dropped back into place. LASIK is the most common surgery used to correct nearsightedness.
Source: http://www.webmd.com
