myopia

noun

my·​o·​pia mī-ˈō-pē-ə 

1

: a condition in which the visual images come to a focus (see focus entry 1 sense 4) in front of the retina of the eye resulting especially in defective vision of distant objects : nearsightedness

She wears glasses to correct her myopia.

2

: a lack of foresight or discernment : a narrow view of something

… those require long-term commitments, which in our current myopia we cannot take on.

—Adam Smith

Examples of myopia in a Sentence

She wears eyeglasses to correct her myopia.

Recent Examples on the Web

The flaws in the tech world are usually not owing to ill intent but to amnesia and myopia. —Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025

And once people became nearsighted, screen time was tied to 54 percent higher odds that their myopia would get worse. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 25 Feb. 2025

But experts say there are ways to try and limit the risk of myopia or prevent eyes from worsening. —Katie Grant, Parents, 4 Mar. 2025

The focus on Russia and Ukraine is historical myopia and may be as dangerous as the real threats which confront the daily lives of ordinary people. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek myōpia, from myōp-, myōps

First Known Use

circa 1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for myopia

• amblyopia
• cornucopia
• hyperopia
• atropia
• cecropia
• diplopia
• dystopia
• utopia
• hypermetropia

Kids Definition

myopia

noun

my·​o·​pia mī-ˈō-pē-ə 

1

: the condition of being nearsighted

2

: a lack of foresight : a narrow view of something

myopic

-ˈō-pik  -ˈäp-ik 

adjective

Medical Definition

myopia

noun

my·​o·​pia mī-ˈō-pē-ə 

: a condition in which the visual images come to a focus in front of the retina of the eye because of defects in the refractive media of the eye or of abnormal length of the eyeball resulting especially in defective vision of distant objects

called also nearsightedness

compare astigmatism sense 2, emmetropia