Myopic Degeneration Specialist

What is myopic degeneration?

Myopic degeneration is severe nearsightedness associated with damage to your retina, the tissue in the back part of your eye. The condition affects how well you can see from far distances, and causes blurry central vision. Treatment can correct your vision and reduce the risk of complications.

What are the symptoms of myopic degeneration?

The main symptom of myopic degeneration is difficulty seeing things that are far away. It’s often hard to tell the difference between nearsightedness, which contact lenses, eyeglasses, or laser surgery can treat, and myopic degeneration.

Nearsightedness usually doesn’t endanger your eye health. However, myopic degeneration comes on rapidly and can result in severe vision problems, vitreous floaters, blind spots, retinal detachment, retinal tears, macular degeneration, macular holes, macular edema, abnormal blood vessel growth, glaucoma, and cataracts.

What are the risk factors for myopic degeneration?

Anybody can develop myopic degeneration but your risk increases if you have a family history of myopic degeneration, a genetic predisposition, nearsightedness, or are of biracial descent that includes Asian and another race (Asican). Routine eye exams help detect the condition before serious vision or eye problems occur.

How is myopic degeneration diagnosed?

To diagnose myopic degeneration or other eye diseases, your ophthalmologist reviews your medical history and asks questions about symptoms you might have. They complete a comprehensive eye exam, including a dilated eye exam, and vision tests to diagnose your condition and develop a treatment plan.

How is myopic degeneration treated?

Correcting your vision with contact lenses or eyeglasses can treat vision issues associated with myopic degeneration. While laser refractive surgery can correct other forms of nearsightedness, the procedure can’t help people with myopic degeneration. Your eye doctor helps you choose contact lenses or glasses that best match your needs.

If you have bleeding beneath your retina, eye injections help control it. Wearing eye protection with contact sports, sports involving balls, and certain occupations can protect your eyes when you have myopic degeneration.

Don’t let myopic degeneration progress to serious vision problems and eye damage. Schedule an eye exam with Retina Consultants Ltd. over the phone or online today.