Modern Use of ‘Myopia’ Not So Myopic

We hear the word every day, though rarely applied as originally defined except in clinical settings.

“Myopia,” rather, has become the root of an insult most often slung at politicians and sports officials. While not exactly a stretch from the intended medical definition of nearsightedness, modern use of myopia’s adjectival form, which is often accompanied by an expletive, is anything but myopic.

Myopia—the vision condition—occurs when the light entering your eye is focused in front of the retina rather than on it, resulting in close objects appearing with clarity but distant objects to be out of focus. The first known use of the word “myopia” was in 1752, according to Merriam-Webster, although the word itself stems from the Greek “myops,” which likewise means nearsighted.

It is uncertain who the first person to call a baseball umpire “myopic” was, but the word has evolved to also mean one who lacks foresight or is narrow-minded. Myopia is also the name of a private hunting club, whose members presumably only enjoy the joke on one level.

The word has a storied history as a character trait in literature, plays and movies, perhaps most famously in the ironically myopic Piggy in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. Piggy, of course, is the one with clear vision.

If you suffer from myopia (the medical condition, not the personality affliction), LASIK surgery may help. To learn more about LASIK options or to locate an ophthalmologist near you, please contact The LASIK Directory.