Definition
A condition of the eye in which close objects are seen clearly but distant objects appear blurred, because light entering the eye focuses in front of the retina rather than directly on it. Also called myopia.
Plain English
You can see things up close just fine, but things far away look fuzzy.
Context Anchor
Encountered in night vision and aeromedical discussions, especially when considering how well a pilot can see distant lights, traffic, and runway cues at night.
Derivation
Plain English: 'near-sighted' literally means your sight works well for things that are near. The medical term 'myopia' comes from the Greek 'myein' (to shut) and 'ops' (eye), describing how nearsighted people often squint to see distant objects more clearly.
Why Pilots Care
Uncorrected nearsightedness reduces the ability to identify distant aircraft, runway lights, or terrain at night, raising the risk of missed visual cues or spatial disorientation.
Intuition Check
Nearsightedness does not mean trouble seeing things up close. It means nearby things are clearer than faraway things.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot's nearsightedness was fully corrected by glasses, which he was required to wear when exercising the privileges of his medical certificate.
Example Sentence 2
Before the night flight the instructor reminded the student that any nearsightedness must be corrected so distant beacons and traffic remain clearly visible.