My eyesight was blurry, so my mom took me to the eye doctor. The doctor said that I was nearsighted and needed glasses.

My eyesight was blurry, so my mom took me to the eye doctor. The doctor said that I was nearsighted and needed glasses. What does nearsighted mean?

Jonathan Wilson Orange, Texas Dear Jonathan,

A nearsighted person sees clearly only objects that are nearby. Faraway objects are blurry because they are focused in front of the retina instead of on it. The retina is a layer of light-sensitive cells inside the eye. Nearsighted people wear glasses that focus light on the retina instead of in front of it. This makes faraway objects easier to see.

For farsighted people, objects up close are fuzzy, while objects in the distance are clear. Light rays from nearby objects are focused behind the retina, so they look blurry. A common cause of farsightedness is that the eyeball is too short from front to back. Glasses that focus light on the retina instead of behind it help farsighted people see clearly.