Myopic defocus

"Myopic defocus" refers to a retinal image condition where light rays are focused in front of the retina, causing distance vision to be blurred. It can be induced experimentally or therapeutically (e.g., with positive lenses) to trigger a cascade of retinal signaling pathways that suppress ocular axial elongation, thereby slowing the progression of myopia. It is a critical concept in understanding the feedback control of postnatal eye growth (emmetropization) and is the basis for optical strategies to prevent or reduce the worsening of nearsightedness. However, it is not itself a molecule, receptor, or direct therapeutic target, but an optical/biophysical phenomenon that influences biological processes through the retina.

Other names

Positive optical defocusPositive lens-induced defocus (in experimental contexts)Retinal myopic defocus (context-dependent)

Inducing "myopic defocus" (i.e., presenting a blurred image where the light focuses in front of the retina, such as with positive lens wear) suppresses axial eye growth through retinal signaling pathways that ultimately decrease myopia progression.