'Short-sightedness' or 'nearsightedness' are the common terms for myopia – an eye condition that typically starts in childhood and usually requires glasses or contact lenses to see clearly. For example, the detail on a whiteboard in a classroom or the text on a T.V.

There are two main factors which can mean your child is more at risk of developing myopia – family history and lifestyle. However, there are still other factors that are not known or fully understood.

When nearsighted, your child sees objects at a distance as blurry and not clear, making it difficult to see clearly objects that are not immediately in front of them. See how nearsightedness changes over time.