Myopia, better know as short-sightedness is a vision impairment which allows close objects to be seen clearly, but objects father away appear blurred. Short-sightedness occurs when the eyeball has developed to be too long or the cornea has developed with too much curvature. When these conditions exist with the eye it cannot function in the way it was designed and the result is that light entering the eye isn’t focused correctly and distant objects look blurred.

Nearly 30 percent of the population suffers from short-sightedness. While most research points to myopia being hereditary, recent research is supporting the idea that it may also be caused by visual stress of working too close up.

Short-sightedness usually first occurs in school-age children, because the eye continues to grow during childhood, it typically progresses until about age 20. However, it may also occur in adults due to visual stress or health conditions such as diabetes.

Optometrists measure the level of short-sightedness in each eye and give it a minus value in whole numbers and splits of .25 so a typical short sight prescription would read -3.25. Depending on the amount of short-sightedness, you may only need to wear glasses or contact lenses for certain activities, like watching a film or driving a car. Or, if you are very short-sighted, they may need to be worn all the time.

In adulthood, laser eye surgery is another possible treatment for short-sightedness. The cornea, the transparent front window of the eye, contributes two thirds of the total focusing power of the eye. Altering its shape changes the focusing power of the eye. Laser Vision Correction flattens the cornea to correct short-sightedness or steepens the cornea for far sightedness. This re-shaping process can also be used to correct astigmatism.

Thus, the excimer laser removes tissue in particular parts of the eye depending on what type of prescription needs correction.

The amount of tissue that needs to be removed and from where on the cornea is determined by a whole series of diagnostic tests that are undertaken during the consultation procedure.

Therefore the key to achieving the best possible vision correction through laser eye surgery is to find a clinic that has not only a wealth of experience in treating short-sightedness with laser vision correction but also has the latest diagnostic and laser eye surgery equipment.

You also need to look at the experience of the surgeon who will be treating you. Meeting all this criteria is difficult for any clinic but the one that stands out in the UK is Accuvision Laser eye surgery clinic. It is at the forefront of laser vision correction and is able to treat many people who are told by other clinics that they are untreatable. They are the only clinic in the UK that can treat up to -14.00 short-sightedness.