myopia

noun

my·​o·​pia mī-ˈō-pē-ə 

1

: a condition in which the visual images come to a focus (see focus entry 1 sense 4) in front of the retina of the eye resulting especially in defective vision of distant objects : nearsightedness

She wears glasses to correct her myopia.

2

: a lack of foresight or discernment : a narrow view of something

… those require long-term commitments, which in our current myopia we cannot take on.

—Adam Smith

Examples of myopia in a Sentence

She wears eyeglasses to correct her myopia.

Recent Examples on the Web

There isn’t enough evidence yet to tie extended phone and screen use to a rise in myopia, but Maturi says the correlation is quite strong. —Heather Kelly, Washington Post, 11 July 2024

Adjustable myopia dials and IPD adjustments ensure a personalized fit, reducing glare and enhancing viewing comfort. —Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 25 June 2024

Researchers are also studying specific treatments to permanently cure myopia. —Devika Rao, theweek, 5 Feb. 2024

What the science says The lack of evidence holds true for virtually all eye conditions and diseases, including common afflictions such as myopia, or nearsightedness, which refers to when closer objects are clear, but distant objects are blurry. —Benjamin Botsford, CNN, 10 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek myōpia, from myōp-, myōps

First Known Use

circa 1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

myopia

noun

my·​o·​pia mī-ˈō-pē-ə 

1

: the condition of being nearsighted

2

: a lack of foresight : a narrow view of something

myopic

-ˈō-pik  -ˈäp-ik 

adjective

Medical Definition

myopia

noun

my·​o·​pia mī-ˈō-pē-ə 

: a condition in which the visual images come to a focus in front of the retina of the eye because of defects in the refractive media of the eye or of abnormal length of the eyeball resulting especially in defective vision of distant objects

called also nearsightedness

compare astigmatism sense 2, emmetropia