Doctors say that pathological myopia can cause blindness. Is that true?

1. Characteristics of pathological myopia

People usually believe that myopia is a common eye disease and high myopia is just a higher degree of myopia, which can be relieved by wearing glasses. They will not associate it with serious fundus diseases, and will not think that patients with pathological myopia may become blind due to serious fundus complications.

Pathological myopia has the following characteristics:

* Progressive elongation of the eye axis

* Myopia increases year by year

* Expansion of the posterior segment of the eye

* Accompanied by changes in the retina and choroid, causing visual dysfunction

2. Harm of Pathological Myopia

This disease is accompanied by various fundus complications, which seriously affect visual function, so it is called pathological myopia. The pathogenesis of fundus damage in pathological myopia is mostly related to axial length growth, and the clinical manifestations are also varied.

* Leopard-like fundus: Due to the thinning of the retina, the fundus is slightly dark gray, and the orange-red large blood vessels are exposed, making the fundus appear like leopard skin.

* Vitreous liquefaction and opacity: symptoms such as dark shadows and flashing lights appear in front of the eyes.

* Posterior scleral staphyloma: The sclera at the posterior segment of the eyeball is overextended, and localized expansion may occur at the posterior pole, forming a posterior staphyloma.

* Macular degeneration: The macula is the most important anatomical part of the fundus. Excessive growth of the eye axis leads to choroidal bleeding, i.e. macular hemorrhage. When the macula atrophies, it presents lacquer crack-like damage. Macular holes are also relatively common lesions.

Many people with pathological myopia have difficulty in achieving normal vision even with glasses. If complications of pathological myopia occur, such as macular hemorrhage and retinal detachment, vision may suddenly become further impaired, and in severe cases, even blindness may occur. Therefore, it is particularly important to prevent the occurrence and development of myopia and to avoid excessive and rapid growth of myopia. High-risk patients should pay attention to regular check-ups in their daily lives and cooperate with doctors for active treatment.

3. Things to note in life regarding pathological myopia and high myopia

High myopia refers to a condition where the degree of myopia is greater than 600 degrees, and the axial length of the eye is usually greater than 26 mm. As the degree of myopia increases, the axial length of the eye is continuously lengthened, leading to thinning of the retina and choroid, and pathological changes in the fundus, which is called pathological myopia.

If you compare the eye to a balloon, and keep blowing air into it, the balloon will grow larger and thinner. When the balloon becomes thinner beyond a certain limit, problems will occur in the balloon. The same is true for the eye. When myopia develops to high myopia, the eye axis grows too much, the fundus "tolerance" is weakened, and various fundus complications are prone to occur.

In daily life, people with high myopia and pathological myopia should pay special attention to the following aspects: Be careful to avoid strenuous activities, vibrations, and external forces hitting the eyeballs to avoid retinal tears, detachment and other fundus diseases. Try to avoid violent head movements, such as diving, weightlifting, roller coasters, etc. We often encounter such situations: although people with high myopia and pathological myopia are already adults, their myopia may still be increasing at a relatively fast rate. Therefore, even if they are already adults, people with high myopia and pathological myopia should pay attention to their eye habits, avoid excessive use of the eyes, and make the eyes "combine work and rest" and get proper relaxation.

In addition, it is recommended that people with high myopia and pathological myopia go to the hospital for a comprehensive eye examination every 3 to 6 months, and follow up for a long time. As the eyeball continues to grow, the back of the eyeball protrudes backward, the retina is pulled and thinned, which may cause various retinal diseases. If you suddenly see dark shadows, flashes, visual distortion, decreased vision, and other symptoms in your life, even if you wear glasses with the right degree, you still can't see clearly, you must go to the hospital in time.

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Children's Vision Health Science Popularization Base in China

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