Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a vision condition affecting nearly a third of people in the United States. The eye focuses properly on nearby objects, while distant objects appear blurry. This imbalance typically occurs either because the eye has an oblong shape (astigmatism) or the cornea is excessively curved, so that only some of the light entering the eye focuses on the retina. It is critical to have eye exams to look for retinal tears, retinal detachment and macular disease. These are all treatable conditions. Other procedures – refractive or laser surgery, or orthokeratology (non-invasive corrective contact lenses) – may also be helpful.