It’s scarier than you think! Severe myopia can also lead to blindness!

In our understanding, high myopia requires wearing thick glasses, which is extremely inconvenient for sports and daily life. What is less known is that high myopia can cause many eye diseases and may even lead to blindness!

What is high myopia?

Myopia is classified into low, moderate, high and extreme myopia according to the degree. Below 300 degrees is called low myopia, between 300 and 600 degrees is called moderate myopia, above 600 degrees is called high myopia, and above 1000 degrees is called extreme myopia. The axial length of a normal person's eye is about 24mm. When myopia occurs, the axial length is greater than 24mm, and the axial length of a high myopia is greater than 26mm.

Classification of high myopia population:

1. Simple high myopia

Simple high myopia has a high degree of myopia, but it tends to stabilize after adulthood and is not accompanied by fundus lesions that cause irreversible visual damage.

2. Pathological high myopia

Pathological myopia is characterized by lifelong progression of myopia accompanied by continuous excessive growth of the eye axis. It will continue to deepen even after adulthood and may cause some irreversible fundus lesions and visual damage.

Severe myopia can cause blindness!

1. Retinal detachment

Min Hanyi, director of Tianjin University Aier Eye Hospital, said that retinal detachment is a common complication of high myopia. When the eye develops into high myopia, the eye axis will be elongated and the retina will become thinner, leading to retinal detachment. If not treated in time, blindness may occur.

2. Retinal tear

Retinal tears refer to cracks in the retina, which cause the retina to lose its nutritional supply and cannot maintain normal physiological functions. When the blood supply and oxygen supply are insufficient, retinal atrophy holes may form, leading to vision loss.

3. Macular degeneration

Macular degeneration caused by high myopia refers to pathological changes in the macular area of ​​the fundus accompanied by high myopia. Common macular degeneration includes macular hemorrhage, macular hole, macular atrophy, etc. Patients usually experience abnormalities such as blurred central vision, distorted vision, and central dark spots.

4. Vitreous opacity

Vitreous opacities, also known as floaters, are related to vitreous liquefaction, turbidity and posterior detachment, and are more common in patients with high myopia. Large areas of vitreous opacities can seriously affect vision and even pull on the retina, leading to holes and bleeding.

Is high myopia hereditary?

The occurrence of high myopia is related to both congenital genetic factors and acquired objective factors, among which genetic factors are the main cause of high myopia. Studies have found that if both parents are highly myopic, the probability of children developing high myopia is about 2.6 times that of parents without high myopia.

How to prevent pathological high myopia?

1. People who are not myopic or have low myopia

Fully understand the dangers of pathological myopia, establish an eye health record as early as possible, conduct regular eye health examinations, prevent high myopia, and prevent complications.

2. People who already have high myopia

Fundus examinations are required 1-2 times a year for early detection and preventive treatment. Although this cannot reverse the disease, it can effectively reduce the risk of retinal detachment.

3. Myopia develops too quickly or there is a family history of myopia

You should try to avoid diving, weightlifting, riding roller coasters or other strenuous exercises to prevent external forces from hitting the eyeballs, so as to avoid eye diseases such as retinal tear and detachment. At the same time, go to a professional hospital for eye examinations regularly, monitor refraction and axial length changes in time, and consider regular examinations of the fundus and visual function if necessary.