myopia
Americannoun
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Ophthalmology. a condition of the eye in which parallel rays are focused in front of the retina, objects being seen distinctly only when near to the eye; nearsightedness (hyperopia ).
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lack of foresight or discernment; obtuseness.
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narrow-mindedness; intolerance.
noun
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A defect of the eye that causes light to focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it, resulting in an inability to see distant objects clearly. Myopia is often caused by an elongated eyeball or a misshapen lens.
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Also called nearsightedness
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Compare hyperopia
Discover More
The term is often used to indicate an inability to see into the future: “The new policy is incredibly myopic, and puts future generations at a great disadvantage for the sake of a few short-term gains.”
Other Word Forms
- myopic adjective
- myopically adverb
Etymology
Origin of myopia
First recorded in 1685–95; from New Latin, from Greek myōpía, from myōp- (stem of mýōps, “nearsighted,” literally, “blinking,” from mý(ein) “to shut” + ṓps “eye, face”) + -ia -ia; eye ( def. )
Compare meaning
How does myopia compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In laboratory research, myopia can be triggered in animal models through visual deprivation or the use of negative lenses, and these two methods are believed to involve different neuronal pathways.
From Science Daily
“Our breakthroughs in medtech, myopia management and audiology are cementing our role as a leader across multiple frontiers,” they said.
Ophthalmologists are raising alarms about an epidemic of childhood myopia.
It stands to reason that the momentum effect needs to be updated to reflect investors accelerating myopia.
From MarketWatch
“We’ve fallen into a kind of trade and technology myopia,” he added.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
