Generally, myopia does not progress into adulthood, but continues to develop after the age of 25. In terms of refractive error today, they are called high myopia because they all exceed 6.0D. This type of myopia is also known as pathological myopia or degenerative myopia because of the pathological changes in the eye. Almost all high myopic eyes have axial growth and significant scleral thinning at the posterior pole of the eye, with the main pathological changes being atrophy and thinning of the retina and choroid, which worsen each year. As a result, there are many serious complications, most of which can lead to blindness, and it is the 6th most blinding disease in China.
1. Overview
In general, myopia does not develop until adulthood, but continues to develop after the age of 25, which is called progressive myopia. In terms of myopic refraction, it is called high myopia because it exceeds 6.0D. This type of myopia is also known as pathological myopia or degenerative myopia because of the pathological changes in the eye. High myopia has obvious genetic factors, and the domestic investigation is autosomal invisible inheritance.
2. Complications
Almost all highly myopic eyes have a growth of the eye axis and significant thinning of the sclera at the posterior pole of the eye. The main pathological changes are atrophy and thinning of the retina and choroid, which worsen year by year. As a result, many serious complications arise, most of which can lead to blindness, and it is the 6th most blinding disease in China. Its main complications are
Retinal detachment
Retinal detachment is the most common complication of myopia. Due to the elongation of myopic eye axis and intraocular nutritional disorders, cystic degeneration and lattice degeneration often occur in the peripheral part of the retina, and the retina in the degenerative area is very thin and easily perforated, and some of them are already perforated to form Über-cleft, coupled with vitreous liquefaction and increased mobility, pulling the retina to detach. In retinal detachment, 70% of them are myopic eyes.
Cataract
Myopic eyes have abnormal intraocular nutrient metabolism, resulting in changes in the lens capsule permeability and gradual clouding of the lens due to nutrient disorders and metabolic malfunctions, resulting in gradual vision loss and concurrent cataract. This type of cataract develops slowly and is dominated by core clouding and posterior capsule clouding.
Macular hemorrhage and macular degeneration
Myopic eyes have poor blood supply and retinal ischemia. The retina produces a kind of neovascular growth factor, which causes the growth of subretinal neovascularization. After the hemorrhage is absorbed, the neovascularization can rupture and hemorrhage again, and after repeated hemorrhage, a short scar is formed locally, resulting in macular degeneration, which permanently damages vision.
Vitreous humor liquefaction degeneration
Vitreous humor is a colorless and transparent jelly. When the myopic eye enlarges, the vitreous body does not increase, so it cannot fill all the space in the eye and becomes liquefied, with increased mobility and cloudiness, causing black shadows in front of the eye and inducing retinal detachment.
Glaucoma
Myopic eyes have abnormal filter curtain structure at the atrial horn, so the atrial water flow in the eye is more resistant, which easily causes an increase in intraocular pressure. According to statistics, 30% of highly myopic eyes have glaucoma, which can cause gradual loss of vision.
Strabismus and amblyopia
Myopia can cause exotropia or exotropia. If the difference in myopia between the two eyes is more than 300 degrees, it can easily cause exotropia and amblyopia in eyes with deeper degrees.
Post-scleral staphyloma
In pathological myopia, the sclera at the posterior pole becomes significantly thinner due to the posterior extension of the eye, and under the action of intraocular pressure, the sclera is shaped out and forms posterior scleral staphyloma of varying sizes. The posterior scleral staphyloma is equivalent to a lengthening of the eye axis, which results in a deeper myopia than the surrounding retina.
Retinal Fissures
In addition to the macula, they often occur in the equatorial or peripheral part of the fundus and are mostly horseshoe-shaped or round holes. On top of this, it further develops into retinal detachment. According to statistics, myopic people account for more than 80% of the incidence of retinal detachment, which can lead to irreversible permanent blindness if not treated in time (surgery or laser).
3.Caution
①To develop the correct posture for children to read and write, keep a distance of about 30 cm between the eyes and the book.
②When reading and writing, the light should be moderate, not too strong or too dark, and the light should come from the left front so that the shadow of the hand does not obstruct the vision.
③ reading time should not be too long, every 40 to 50 minutes, you should rest 10 to 15 minutes, close your eyes or look into the distance for a few minutes or do eye exercises to prevent excessive eye fatigue.
④Don’t read books and newspapers with too small or blurred handwriting, and don’t write too small.
⑤ Educate children to correct unreasonable eye habits, such as lying on the table, tilting the head to read or write, lying in bed to read, reading while eating, reading under strong light or dim street lights, moonlight, and reading in a moving car or while walking, etc. These bad habits can overstrain the eyes and reduce the acuity of vision.
Preventive measures should also be taken in the following areas.
(1) Prohibit marriage between close relatives.
(2) Pay attention to eye care. The prevention of myopia advocates the word early, i.e., it should start when school-age children.
①Schools and parents should pay special attention to the child’s study lighting to meet the requirements (50-100 meters candlelight), specifically, such as the use of 25-watt ordinary light bulbs, the illumination at a distance of half a meter is about 50 meters candlelight, and the rest of the analogy.
② Prevent excessive use of the eyes, that is, do not make the internal and external muscles of the eyes overworked or in a state of long-term tension.
③Strengthen vision training and adhere to eye exercises.
④Prevent television myopia.
(3) Strengthening physical exercise and physical fitness can reduce and slow down the occurrence of myopia, especially outdoor sports. It is also one of the best ways to take care of the eyes to let the children enjoy the mountains and rivers of the motherland with a long view in the countryside with fresh air and a wide field of vision.
(4) Pay attention to nutritional supplements, especially vitamin B and minerals, as they are necessary for eye development and functional progress.
Can eugenics reduce myopia in children?
There is some truth in blaming the parents when their children get myopia.
For a long time, many surveys have confirmed that the occurrence of myopia is somewhat familial, with more children suffering from myopia if both parents are myopic, less children suffering from myopia if both parents are not myopic, and somewhere in between if one parent is myopic. Therefore, myopia in children is very closely related to their parents.
As a result of improper parental marriage, bad gestation and children’s eye deformity, strabismus, refractive error, amblyopia, etc. are not few, some parents in order to children’s eye disease diagnosis and treatment, running around, silently bear the inner pain, infinite cost; there are a few parents, do not regret their own and the child coldly abandoned treatment, and even more, to the child’s eye disease to apply for another child …… We really feel pain and guilt for these ignorant, foolish and heartless parents, and we also have more compassion for those victimized children. We would like to caution these parents to know now, why should they do it in the first place! For the benefit of future generations, eugenics is irresistible.
4.High myopia complications
High myopia can cause a number of intraocular effects, the more common complications are two.
(1) flying mosquitoes: people with this disease, with the rotation of the eye, often in front of the eyes appear black shadow fluttering, like flies in the fly, which is due to the normal vitreous colloid-like structure of the liquefaction of the cause.
(2) When people with high myopia suddenly experience vision loss and black shadows floating in front of their eyes, especially when lightning-like flashes occur or when they feel that they are covered by fixed black shadows in front of their eyes, they should go to the hospital as soon as possible to see a specialist ophthalmologist for examination, which may be a precursor symptom of retinal detachment or macular hemorrhage.
5. Prevention of myopic eye complications
(1) To prevent myopia complications, first of all, we should pay attention to not over-eyeing, pay attention to lighting, and wear moderate glasses.
(2) Strengthen physical exercise, but be careful to avoid strenuous exercise and excessive physical labor, and bending should be more careful to avoid retinal detachment and fundus hemorrhage.
(3) In order to prevent myopia complications, myopic patients should take vitamin C, vitamin E, cod liver oil, calcium tablets and a variety of micronutrient complex tablets.
(4) Patients with moderate to high myopia can have their intraocular pressure checked regularly according to their condition, and if they find that their intraocular pressure is below the normal value, they should keep an eye on it.