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Nearsightedness (Myopia)
In this condition, distance objects
appear blurred, but near objects can be seen clearly if viewed at
a proper distance. Nearsighted people usually need corrective lenses
for distance only.
In the normal eye, light bends through the cornea and lens to
focus on the retina. With myopia (nearsightedness), the eye
is longer (or the cornea is steeper),
causing light to focus in front of the retina. The image is
therefore out of focus on the retina, and vision is blurred.
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To
correct nearsightedness, the cornea must be made flatter.
This is accomplished by removing tissue from the center of
the cornea.
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For nearsightedness,
the outer surface of the cornea will be treated in such a
way with the Excimer laser as to effectively "flatten" the
cornea in the central area. In
the figure on the right,
the cornea is flattened in the brown shaded area shown.
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