Definition of myopia

The word "myopia" originates from ancient Greek. It is derived from the words "muos" meaning "near" or "short" and "ops" meaning "eye". In Greek medicine, myopia referred to a condition where the eye is short-sighted, or unable to see distant objects clearly. The term was later adopted into Latin as "myopia", and from there it was translated into various languages including English. The concept of near-sightedness has been recognized for thousands of years, with ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians and Greeks describing the condition in their medical texts. However, the term "myopia" has been used consistently in medical literature since the 17th century. Today, myopia is a common refractive error, where the shape of the cornea or lens of the eye is not suitable for focusing on distant objects, requiring corrective glasses or contact lenses to correct.