Myopia, commonly known as short sightedness is inability of our eyes to see distant objects clearly while normal vision for nearby objects remains. 

When Does it Occur ?

Simple myopia although can occur at any age, affects mainly kids of school going age and progresses till adulthood when the growth of the body stops. As the eye enlarges there is an increase in myopia and further increase stops when the eyeball stops growing.

This is the rationale behind advice for regular checkups and vision tests.

Causes

Myopia can be caused by genetic or environmental factors. It runs in families and if someone in your family has myopia, you have an increased risk of being myopic than the general, non -risk population. There is also a belief that close work or excessive strain on the eyes can lead to refractive error but it is not supported by concrete evidence.

Anatomical Causes - The basic structural make up of the eye can cause myopia- like increased curvature of the lens or cornea or an increase in total length of your eyeball.

Other Causes - As said earlier there can be a familial tendency. Increased risk has also been observed with premature births.