How does pathologic myopia affect the eyes?Ī posterior staphyloma is one of the main structural changes that occur in pathologic myopia. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography to look for changes in the macula.įluorescein angiography to check for abnormal growth of new, leaky blood vessels. They will look at the back of the eye for structural changes caused by pathologic myopia. How is pathologic myopia diagnosed?Īn eye doctor will take a medical and family history. These may be signs of a retinal detachment, which is an emergency condition. Reduced visual acuity, even after correctionĭifficulty with everyday tasks such as reading, driving or cooking due to distorted visionĬontact a doctor immediately if you notice a dark curtain over your vision or a sudden onset of floaters or flashing lights.
Symptoms caused by these structural changes may include: Pathologic myopia results in degenerative changes in the back of the eye. What are common symptoms of pathologic myopia? Nearly one billion people will have high myopia and an increased risk of vision loss. This means that almost 4.76 billion people will have myopia by 2050. Of these people, 10% will have high myopia.
Scientists expect that in 30 years, about 50% of the world’s population will have myopia. This is because the prevalence of pathologic myopia is higher in people with high myopia In the United States, pathologic myopia is the seventh leading cause of legal blindness.Īccording to experts, as the prevalence of myopia increases around the world, the number of people with pathologic myopia will also likely increase. As of 2020, more than 228 million people had been affected by vision loss due to pathologic myopia. It affects up to 3% of the world’s population. Pathologic myopia is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Scientists are investigating which genes are responsible for myopia and whether they are the same ones as pathologic myopia.Īccording to the International Myopia Institute, while environmental factors are most likely driving common childhood myopia, extreme myopia likely is driven by different factors. Pathologic myopia is believed to be hereditary, so genetics likely play a role in its onset. Researchers are working to understand what causes myopia and why only some people with myopia develop this condition. These changes can lead to permanent visual impairment and blindness. This results in thinning and degenerative changes to the retina, choroid and sclera. The lengthening causes the retina and back of the eyeball to stretch. Pathologic myopia is largely due to abnormal growth of the axial length of the eyeball. However, it can also occur in eyes that do not have high myopia. When pathologic myopia occurs, it is typically in eyes with high myopia.
Having high myopia increases the risk for pathologic myopia, as they both result from progressive elongation of the eye. Pathologic myopia is the presence of degenerative changes to the back part of the eye. High myopia is simply a high myopic refractive error. It is important not to confuse pathologic myopia with high myopia. Pathologic myopia often begins in childhood and is a leading cause of visual impairment worldwide.
It is caused by progressive, abnormal elongation of the eyeball. Pathologic myopia, or degenerative myopia, is defined by certain degenerative changes in the back of the eye.
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