Do you sometimes see things that are far away but only things that are close up clearly? We call this 'nearsightedness' or `(Myopia)'. Although this is normal for most people, sometimes this farsightedness problem can go to a more serious level . When this happens, the `(Retina)`, which is a very sensitive layer inside the eye, that is, the place where we see images, begins to be damaged. This is what we call `(Myopic Degeneration)` or `(Degenerative Myopia)`. This is something to be careful about, because over time, this damage can increase and there is a possibility of permanent vision loss . But don't worry, not every nearsighted person develops this. However, experts say that this condition affects only one in 33 people in the world's population.
So what are the symptoms of `(Myopic Degeneration)`?
The first major symptom is severe nearsightedness . This means that your prescription for your glasses is too high. As this condition progresses, you will begin to notice changes in your visual range, especially in the central part of your vision . These include:
- When you look, you may see a black spot or a blurry area in the middle of your vision . It may even be like a blind spot where you can't see anything.
- Some colors are difficult to recognize .
- We need more light than before to see things clearly.
- When you look at things with straight lines, they appear stretched and wrinkled .
- You may see small black objects floating in front of your eyes (floaters) , or you may see flashes of light .
When you go to see an ophthalmologist, if he suspects this condition, he will examine your eyes and look for things like:
- Changes in the shape of the macula, the area of the eye in the center of your retina that is essential for clear vision.
- Retinal hemorrhages, thinning, detachments, or swelling.
- The formation of macular holes in the center of vision.
- Macular puckering occurs in the center of vision (Macula).
Why do we get Myopic Degeneration?
Simply put, the main cause of this is severe nearsightedness . If your eye prescription is `(-6.00 diopters)` or more, it is considered severe. Or the length of your eye from the front to the back can be 26 millimeters or more. Imagine, when we try to see something clearly, our eye muscles work harder than normal. When our eyes are constantly strained, the delicate membrane inside the eye called the `(Retina)` cannot withstand this pulling. That is what causes damage to the retina.
Who is most at risk of developing this condition?
There are several clear risk factors that contribute to the development of Myopic Degeneration:
- Severity of Myopia: The risk increases depending on how severe your Myopia is, or how high your prescription is.
- Eyeball length: The larger your eyeball, that is, the longer your eyeball, the higher your risk of developing this condition.
- Age: This risk may increase with your age, or how long you have had myopia.
In addition to this, experts suspect that several other factors may contribute to the development or worsening of this condition:
- Family history and genetics: There is evidence that myopia is passed down from generation to generation. However, further research is needed to understand exactly how genetics and family history affect myopic degeneration.
- Sex: Some studies show that women are more likely to develop this condition.
- Race and ethnicity: Although it is said that people of Asian descent are at higher risk, there is no definitive conclusion on this either.
- Environmental factors: These are things that happen in your daily life. For example, if you have to look closely at something because of your job or hobby, or if you are wearing the right lenses. Think about it, some people spend most of their day on their phones, computers, or looking at small print. Their eyes get very tired. Things like that can also affect this.
What are the possible complications of Myopic Degeneration?
The main complications of this condition are all related to the tissues of your retina. These complications are:
- Neovascularization: When the tissue in the retina thins, old blood vessels break and bleed. The body then tries to create new blood vessels to restore blood flow, but these new blood vessels cause further damage to the retina.
- Layer separations: As the retinal tissue thins, the risk of the layers of the retina separating from each other, or the retina tearing or detaching, increases.
- Low vision: The changes mentioned above can lead to permanent vision loss, severe vision loss, or even blindness .
Important: If these complications occur, vision may not be restored if not treated promptly. Therefore, it is very important to seek medical advice if you have symptoms.
How do doctors diagnose this condition (Myopic Degeneration)?
Eye doctors can diagnose myopic degeneration through a variety of tests. Most of these tests are done during a routine eye exam. You may not notice many of the changes inside your eye due to myopic degeneration, or even notice a big difference in your vision at first. However, a trained eye doctor knows about these changes, so he or she will use special methods, tests, or equipment to detect them. They may also ask you to look at a chart called an Amsler grid to see if there are any blind spots or distortions in your field of vision.
In addition, there are imaging tests that can help diagnose Myopic Degeneration. They are:
- Fluorescein angiography and Indocyanine green angiography: These are special tests that look at the condition of the blood vessels inside the eye.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT): This takes a cross-section of the retina and can detect even subtle changes in its layers.
- Eye ultrasound test `(Eye ultrasound)`
What are the treatments for Myopic Degeneration?
Treatment for Myopic Degeneration aims to prevent the condition from getting worse and to reverse any complications that may have occurred as much as possible.
Here are some of the most important treatments:
- Vision correction: Wearing the right glasses or contact lenses can reduce eye strain. It can help limit or slow down changes in the retina.
- Medications: Our bodies use a protein called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) to grow new blood vessels. Anti-VEGF medications work by stopping this protein from working. These are medications that are injected into the eye.
- Laser therapy and photodynamic therapy: Some laser and light-based eye treatments can help limit bleeding and damage to the back of the eye. This can slow the progression of myopic degeneration.
- Eye surgery: Surgery is required to correct some complications of Myopic Degeneration (e.g., retinal detachment). Surgery can stop the retinal detachment and prevent rapid and irreversible vision loss.
Your ophthalmologist will explain to you in detail which treatment options are right for you and what you can expect from them.
What should I ask my eye doctor?
You can ask your eye doctor questions like:
- How severe is my Myopic Degeneration?
- What can I do to limit or slow down the progression of this disease?
- What treatment options do I have?
- How often should I have my eyes checked and seek medical advice?
- What symptoms can I tolerate until my next doctor's appointment?
- What symptoms require me to seek immediate medical attention?
What happens if I have Myopic Degeneration?
If you have Myopic Degeneration, what you can expect varies from person to person. For some people, it gets progressively worse over time. How much of an impact this condition has on your life depends on how severe your Myopia is, or how long your eyeball is.
Always remember: If you don't see an eye doctor regularly and have your eyes checked, you are at greater risk of permanent eye damage and vision loss due to Myopic Degeneration. While these complications can sometimes be prevented, they can be limited or at least delayed by regular eye exams.
Myopia, especially when it's severe, can be a bit of a nuisance. Not only that, but knowing that it can damage your eyes can be scary. But because Myopic Degeneration is a condition that's seen all over the world, experts are constantly looking for new and better treatments.
If you have Myopic Degeneration, your eye doctor can provide you with treatment options and help you manage your symptoms so you can focus on the things that matter most to you.
Take-Home Message
- If you have severe myopia, be aware of myopic degeneration, especially if your prescription is greater than -6.00.
- Recognize the symptoms: Watch out for things like black spots in the middle of your vision, difficulty recognizing colors, a wrinkled appearance, and floaters before your eyes.
- Early detection is important: Get regular eye checkups. That way, if there is a problem, you can identify it early and start treatment.
- There are treatments: There are various treatments available to stop the condition from getting worse and reduce complications. Don't be afraid to talk to your doctor.
- Lifestyle changes: Things like giving your eyes rest, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking are generally good for eye health.
It is your own responsibility to take care of your eyes. Therefore, it is very important to be aware of this and take the necessary steps.
` Myopic Degeneration, Degenerative Myopia, Pathologic Myopia, Short-sightedness, Eye Diseases, Retina, Vision Loss
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