What does myopia mean?
Myopia is the condition commonly known as nearsightedness, in which the eye focuses incoming light incorrectly and distant objects appear blurred. It is usually caused by an eyeball that is too long or a cornea with excessive curvature, although refractive errors can involve the lens as well. Myopia is also used figuratively to describe a narrow or short-sighted approach to problems, decisions, or politics. In this sense, it suggests an inability or unwillingness to consider future consequences, distant effects, or perspectives beyond the immediate situation. The medical word is formal and technical, while figurative expressions such as “political myopia” are common in journalism and public discussion. The word is especially useful because it links a precise medical condition with a vivid criticism of thought: just as a person with untreated myopia may see nearby objects clearly while distant ones remain blurred, a myopic thinker may grasp immediate details while overlooking broader implications. Myopia is therefore both an ordinary health term and a memorable metaphor for limited vision.
nounMyopia is a refractive error of the eye in which distant objects appear blurred, usually because the eyeball is too long or the cornea has excessive curvature. By extension, it refers to a lack of foresight or narrow concern about the present.
- A refractive error in which distant objects appear blurred because the eye focuses light incorrectly, commonly because the eyeball is elongated.
- A lack of foresight, perspective, or concern for consequences beyond the immediate present.
"The optician diagnosed myopia and prescribed glasses for reading and distance vision."
"Her myopia was detected during a routine school vision screening."
"The policy was criticized for the political myopia that placed short-term convenience ahead of long-term consequences."
Rare; myopia is normally treated as an uncountable condition.
"The study compared patients with severe myopias."
Myopia began as a medical term for seeing close, but it now offers one of English’s sharpest metaphors for minds that cannot see beyond the present.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does myopia come from?
Myopia comes through Latin from Greek myōpia, a term associated with myōpos, meaning “short-sighted” or “blinking.” The Greek formation is generally understood as combining myein, “to close or shut,” with ops, “eye,” reflecting the narrowed or impaired view associated with the condition. The English medical term entered use in the early 17th century, and its figurative sense developed from the idea of intellectual or political short-sightedness.
Related word forms
How myopia is actually used
In medicine, myopia is a formal clinical term and is usually treated as uncountable. Its figurative use is established and generally carries a critical connotation, suggesting short-sightedness rather than merely limited knowledge.
Easily confused with myopia
Myopia is the noun naming the visual condition, whereas myopic is the adjective describing someone who has myopia or, figuratively, shows a lack of foresight.