Extreme Nearsightedness, also known as myopia, is a vision problem that results in problems seeing objects that are at a distance. High myopia is an extreme case of nearsightedness, and it increases the risk of sight-threatening eye conditions.
What Causes Extreme Nearsightedness?
Myopia happens when the eyeballs grow too long and the cornea gets too steep. That distorts the standard eye proportions. Light rays that move through the eyes focus on the front of the retina instead of on it. The result is a blurry image. Although no single cause for myopia is known, factors like genetics come to play. If one or both parents have it, there is a higher likelihood that the children may be affected by the condition. Myopia risk may be inherited but how one uses their eyes contributes to its development. Other factors that aggregate and increase the risk of myopia are up-close focusing on screens and high concentrated visual work.
Myopia progression and stabilization
Myopia begins in early childhood and progressively gets worse over time if not arrested adequately. Most cases of myopia peak between 8 and 15, but a child that develops myopia earlier in life is more likely to have a steeper progression and a greater risk for high myopia. Most cases of nearsightedness stabilize by fifteen years, but some go on until 24 years before stabilizing.
What Are the Risks of myopia?
Myopia increases the risk of retinal detachment that could cause a loss of sight. We see because the light moving through the eye connects to the tissue at the back of the eye. The retinal tissue translates the light to signals the brain receives through the optic nerve. The retina plays a crucial role in sight, and retinal detachment causes a nutrient deficiency that makes it hard for the retina to survive. High myopia is also associated with the risk of several other conditions like glaucoma, holes in the macula, and separation of macula layers, resulting in blurred vision.
Can you treat high myopia?
With no specific underlying cause for myopia, it is hard to treat the condition at the root cause. There is, however, a better chance of salvaging the situation if arrested on time. That makes visiting the eye doctor regularly vital for people predisposed to high myopia. The eye doctor will assess the eye structures and ensure the risks associated with high myopia are at bay. Intervention may vary depending on the severity of the situation. Surgeries can be transformative since they help minimize the need to wear glasses and contact lenses all the time. Contact lenses are a perfect solution for high myopia since they provide a better solution than glasses. Implantable contact lens (ICL) surgery is an excellent option as it is effective, safe, and quick. The procedure can be a considerable lifesaver since it can permanently correct a patient’s vision.
LASIK can also help counter near-sightedness but may not be as effective if the situation is grave.
Conclusion
Our quality of life is affected by our ability to experience it. And our eyesight plays a significant role in enabling that. High myopia and other eyesight problems can threaten that pleasure. Luckily, interventions like glasses and contact lenses provide an effective solution. Regular visits to the eye doctor are a considerable part of overall health.
