Is myopia a medical term which is only used in medical and professional context? Or can it be used in colloquial conversation? The question also leads to another question: is there any popular and colloquial synonym of myopia?
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1 Answer
The colloquial synonym is nearsightedness or shortsightedness. Any of the three terms can be used figuratively to mean "not prepared for the future" or "unable to anticipate what will happen". That said, shortsighted is by far the most common term to be used figuratively, and nearsighted is the most common term to be used literally when speaking colloquially about the medical condition.
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It is helpful. Nearsighted is what I am looking for, and I also learn about the subtle difference between nearsighted, shortsighted, and myopia. Thank you very much for your answer! Commented Feb 22, 2016 at 2:33
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1Is longsightedness proper to figuratively describe someone with vision? Commented Feb 23, 2016 at 10:19
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@Superuser longsighted is not a word I've ever heard used, but it is in the dictionary as an antonym to shortsighted. The term farsighted is very common and refers to people who have a medical condition called hyperopia where a person is unable to see things that are directly in front of them. Farsighted can also be used figuratively to mean "prudent" like longsighted, but it may be less clear what you mean since the literal meaning refers to the inability to see close up, not the ability to see far.– EraCommented Feb 23, 2016 at 16:09
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Thank you very much! I almost learned the Longsighted in wrong way. Now,I understand that farsighted is more proper! Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 23:06