What is near-sightedness called?

Appeared in: Bihar CHO - 2021

Explanation

Myopia is the medical term for near-sightedness.
It is a refractive error where parallel rays of light from distant objects come to a focus in front of the retina.
This occurs because the eyeball is either too long or the refractive power of the cornea/lens is too high.
As a result, distant objects appear blurry, while near objects can be seen clearly.
Correction is achieved using a concave (diverging) lens to move the focal point backward onto the retina.

Option B: Hypermetropia, also known as hyperopia or far-sightedness, is the opposite of near-sightedness. In this condition, near objects appear blurry.
Option C: Strabismus is a condition of eye misalignment (squint) and is related to neuromuscular control of the eye muscles, not a refractive error concerning the focusing of light.
Option D: This option is incorrect because a correct medical term for near-sightedness (Myopia) is provided in the options.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Medical terminology for refractive errors of the eye as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in vision screening programs, especially in schools, using tools like the Snellen chart to detect potential refractive errors like myopia in children.
Patient education is crucial. Nurses must explain the nature of myopia, the importance of wearing corrective lenses as prescribed, and signs of worsening vision that require a follow-up with an ophthalmologist.
For patients undergoing refractive surgery like LASIK, nurses provide pre-operative and post-operative care, including administering eye drops and educating on activity restrictions and signs of complications.

How to Approach the Question

This is a direct recall question that tests your knowledge of medical terminology.
First, identify the core concept in the question stem: 'near-sightedness'.
Next, recall the specific medical term for this condition.
Evaluate each option:
Myopia: Is this the term for near-sightedness?
Hypermetropia: What does this term mean?

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 1 p. 88-90

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 p. 1720-1722

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 707-709

Practise the full Bihar CHO - 2021

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.