Myopia has increased since 1970-1971 according to a National Eye Institute study that compared rates of myopia in the United States with a survey conducted between 1994 and 2004. The rate of myopia rose from 25% within a group of participants to 41.6%.1With these statistics, like autism, obesity, and diabetes, the incidence of nearsightedness is rising fast enough to be considered an epidemic. The danger is that severe myopia increases the risks of retinal detachment, glaucoma, and other eye disorders including blindness.