Myopia (myopia) of the third degree: causes and treatment. High myopia

The eyes and the ability to see are important for a person, this is especially acute if grade 3 myopia is diagnosed. Modern life requires excellent vision. At the same time, almost 1 billion of the world's population suffer from myopia and are forced to resort to glasses or contact lenses, which limits their opportunities and choice of profession. Those who have poor vision have a reduced quality of life. Therefore, any vision problems should be eliminated whenever possible. What could be the solution for this disease?

What is myopia? This is an eye pathology in which a person sees well only at close range.. He does not distinguish objects that are located far away. With this disease, the focusing of rays that penetrate the eyes occurs not on the retina, but in front of it. Myopia comes in three degrees:

• weak;
• average;
• high.

If myopia is degree 3, then you need to select glasses with lenses of more than 6.0 diopters.

Causes of myopia:

• heredity;
• sitting at the computer for a long time;
• reading in a poorly lit room and in a lying position;
• eye strain experienced for a long time during the day.

Myopia can be:

• from birth or acquired;
• progressive and non-progressive.

The likelihood of having both eyes is very high if there is a hereditary predisposition (about 60%). In this case, a high degree of myopia is diagnosed, the cause of which may be anatomical deviations of the organ of vision from the norm. With a weak sclera, myopia is likely to progress. Doctors may recommend surgery to strengthen the sclera.

Vision can remain at the same level (non-progressive type) or decrease, then it is. In the first case, vision deteriorates per year by no more than 1.0 diopters. This means that myopia is benign.

More often, myopia develops as a malignant type in adolescence, when myopia progresses (by more than 1.0 diopters per year), and it may be accompanied by astigmatism (a disorder of the shape of the lens or cornea, which makes it impossible to see objects clearly). Visual abilities are quickly lost.

The danger of progressive myopia is that it can reach 25.0-30.0 diopters, when a person practically cannot see. This development of the disease is more difficult to correct than non-progressive myopia.

Treatment methods

For high myopia, treatment is prescribed depending on the following factors:

• how much ;
• whether the person has other diseases;
• a condition of the retina, which, as it becomes thinner, can peel off.

High myopia requires constant wearing of glasses or lenses, which are selected by an ophthalmologist (independence is unacceptable here). The doctor will also prescribe special drops or gels to moisturize the eyes, which is important when working at the computer, and vitamins with microelements. A course of treatment using ATP injections may be prescribed. But all this will not help to significantly improve vision. There are more radical methods:

1. Laser correction. It is done when vision is 6.0-15.0 diopters and in other cases when the patient decides to refuse to wear lenses and glasses. The best age for surgery is considered to be from 18 to 55 years old; at this time, the size of the eyeball remains the same and does not change due to the aging of the body and under the influence of complex diseases. If vision does not allow you to decide on surgical intervention, then there are alternative methods of treating myopia.
2. Refractive lens replacement. It is used for vision up to 20.0 diopters. In this case, the transparent lens is replaced with an artificial one, which is selected taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient. The operation is simple and does not require hospitalization.
3. Keratoplasty. The cornea, its shape and function are restored surgically. This shell is replaced with another material, and the graft can be artificial or donor. Computer modeling allows you to give the cornea the desired shape. The operation will require local anesthesia.

It is impossible to say clearly which method is the best and which is more difficult. This issue can only be resolved by a highly qualified specialist who will take into account the individual characteristics of the patient, the structure of his eyes, and the degree of myopia. It is also possible to use a combined method of treating high myopia.

Disability due to myopia

High myopia is a severe case and an indication for disability registration. This means that myopia cannot be corrected with lenses or glasses, and the patient, due to vision loss, is unable to engage in work. The medical commission determines which disability group will be assigned to the patient:

1. In group 3, a person can take care of himself with difficulty and with the help of auxiliary devices.
2. In group 2, the patient lives in a special environment for the disabled, uses the help of other people, and vision improvement is impossible.
3. In group 1, visual abilities are completely lost, the person is practically helpless in everyday life.

If possible, it is better not to bring yourself to such a state.

Is it possible to give birth with high myopia?

The third type of myopia is usually an indication for cesarean section during pregnancy and a ban on natural childbirth. But the final decision remains with the doctor after examining the patient’s fundus.

To prevent possible vision complications, an ophthalmologist examines a pregnant woman diagnosed with myopia in the early stages, and then at the end of pregnancy. Indications for cesarean section are changes occurring in the retina and hemorrhages observed in the vitreous area. In this case, it will be contraindicated for the expectant mother to push, since this increases intraocular pressure.

If pregnancy proceeds normally, the refractive power of the eyes does not change. But in later stages, the elasticity of connective tissue increases. The outer membrane of the eyes also becomes more elastic.

With pregnancy pathology, visual acuity may decrease by 2-5 diopters during early and late toxicosis. This is facilitated by swelling and changes in the curvature of the lens. As its volume increases, the refractive power may increase.

If during the examination the doctor finds the retina with tears and thinning, it is possible to perform preventive laser coagulation, during which the retina is connected to the choroid. This painless procedure will prevent degeneration of the inner membrane and its peeling. The procedure is done if there are no pregnancy complications with increased blood pressure. After this operation, the patient will be examined by a doctor every month.

If during pregnancy, you should see a doctor immediately. The following symptoms should not be ignored:

• light flashes;
• flickering;
• floating cloudiness before the eyes;
• distortion of the outlines of objects.

After the examination, treatment will be prescribed.

If you had laser correction before pregnancy, you should definitely see a doctor, as retinal stretching is possible.

Contraindications

Contraindications for those with high myopia:

• stay in the cold and in rooms with excessively high temperatures (baths and saunas);
• drink strong drinks;
• donate blood as a donor;
• sometimes give birth naturally;
• engage in sports that require muscle tension.

If you have grade 3 myopia, physical therapy is recommended:

1. If vision is above 6.0 diopters, you can perform movements with moderate loads. Gymnastics including eye exercises for 10 minutes will be useful.
2. Myopic people with vision above 10.0 diopters are prohibited from heavy loads and should not make sudden movements. The complex may consist of 10-12 breathing exercises. Walking at an average pace will be helpful.

How to save your eyesight?

If you already have myopia, then it is advisable not to bring it to a high degree of myopia and treat the pathology in a timely manner. This is possible if you take time to care for your eyes to prevent poor vision. These are the rules:

1. You need to adhere to a visual regime so that your eyes do not dry out.
2. Reading or doing other work should be done in good lighting. At the same time, the organs of vision should not strain to see the font or other small details.
3. When reading, the book should be at a distance of 30-40 cm from the eyes. You should not get used to reading in a lying position or while in transport.
4. Gymnastics for the eyes will help if you do it regularly.

Whatever your vision, you need to take care of your eyes: take into account contraindications, follow a diet. The body needs to be strengthened by being in nature and doing physical exercise.

Video

Myopia (myopia) is considered one of the most common diseases. The patient is unable to see distant objects - their contours appear blurry and unclear. A high degree of myopia poses an increased danger; there is a risk of developing serious complications, including blindness.

A high degree of myopia is diagnosed at 6 diopters and above. To correct the disease, glasses or contact lenses are most often used; in severe cases, surgery is performed.

Causes

• High myopia develops for the following reasons:
• genetic predisposition;
• increased strain on the eyes - sitting at a computer for several hours in a row, reading small print, poor lighting;
• unbalanced diet;
• neglect of hygiene rules;
• congenital pathologies of the eye structure;

bad ecology.

Diagnostics

• The following methods are used to diagnose myopia: medical examination
• - used when diagnosing children under 3 years of age - during the process the shape, size, position of the eyeballs are checked, the patient’s ability to fix the eyes on moving bright objects is diagnosed;– when it is carried out, a special slit lamp is used, the device makes it possible to assess the condition of the lens, cornea, conjunctiva, fundus, anterior eye chamber;
• color testing- as part of the procedure, the patient’s ability to distinguish colors is tested (most often used when passing a medical examination for drivers);
• ophthalmoscopy- provides examination of the condition of the retina, incl. central artery and other vessels, optic nerves and other structures;
• skiascopy- includes a shadow test, using an ophthalmic mirror;
• refractometry- allows you to determine the degree of refraction and the type of astigmatism;
• Ultrasound- used to diagnose retinal detachment, hemorrhages, scars, foreign bodies, neoplasms.

Effect on pregnancy and childbirth

Quite often, mild myopia occurs during pregnancy. With previously diagnosed myopia, there is a risk of significant deterioration in visual function, most often this occurs in the 3rd trimester. The pathology is accompanied by an increase in intraocular pressure, placing additional stress on the retina. He will tell you about vitamins for the eyes for myopia.

The risk of retinal detachment during this period increases many times; throughout pregnancy, constant medical supervision is required, and it is necessary to attend exercise therapy classes.

The decision on the method of delivery is made by the doctor - if the risk is minimal, a natural birth is indicated; if the risk is high, a caesarean section is performed.

After giving birth, a woman should visit an ophthalmologist to help avoid vision problems.

What to abstain from

Corrective The main method of vision correction is glasses and contact lenses; this should be done by an ophthalmologist. When selecting glasses, the amount of myopia is determined for each eye in a state of movement and rest, correction is carried out taking into account binocular vision. A high degree of myopia is subject to 100% correction.

An ophthalmologist may recommend 2 pairs of glasses: for near and far distances. Read about the treatment of progressive myopia in children and adults.

Surgical

1. When performing surgery, the following methods are used: The operation is performed using minimally invasive approaches on an outpatient basis after local drip anesthesia. As part of the procedure, the lens is removed and an artificial analogue is installed in its place. Before the operation, a comprehensive examination is carried out. During the operation, it is constantly present, since the patient is conscious; it may be necessary to take sedatives. To fix the eyelids, a special spring blepharostat is used to hold the eyes open. After anesthesia, the ophthalmologist makes a hole in the cornea and an ultrasound device is inserted through it. Under its influence, the lens is destroyed, and an artificial lens is placed in the lens capsule.
2. Phakic intraocular lenses are a method similar to vision correction with contact lenses. Optical devices are not installed on the cornea, but are implanted into the anterior or posterior chamber, while the lens is preserved. The method leads to loss of the ability to accommodate, so after the operation the patient must wear glasses for close work and reading. This method of correction is prescribed for loss of natural accommodation; it is most often used in the treatment of patients over 45-50 years of age.
3. Excimer-. The essence of the operation is laser exposure to the cornea. A high-precision laser beam provides modeling of the transparent outer shell, resulting in its correct shape. The laser method has become widespread; special equipment is used during the intervention. An excimer laser is a special device that affects the affected area with a gas ultraviolet emitter. As a result of the operation, part of the cornea evaporates. Precise exposure prevents infection from entering the diseased eye, which also helps reduce the recovery period.

The choice of surgical correction method depends on the specific situation; the decision is made by the attending physician.

Prevention

Following these rules will help prevent myopia:

• compliance with the visual work regime;
• the correct choice of lighting should ensure maximum comfort for the eyes; when working in the office, it is recommended to use natural and artificial lighting;
• refusal to read while lying down and in transport;
• spending time outdoors;
• limiting time spent watching TV, computer, smartphone, tablet;
• the need for regular visits to an ophthalmologist;
• periodic visual gymnastics.

Complications

The main danger of severe myopia is the increased risk of complications.

Main complications:

1. Retinal atrophy– develops as a result of its degeneration and thinning.
2. Peripheral dystrophy retina.
3. Lacquered retinal cracks– gaps between the choroid and the retina.
4. Chorioretinal form– is accompanied by the formation of new blood vessels that grow from the choroid to the retina. They are characterized by increased fragility; bleeding often occurs, which causes swelling and damage to the retina.
5. Cataract- a disease accompanied by clouding of the lens, which leads to various forms of visual impairment, including complete loss. Turbidity occurs due to denaturation of the protein that is part of the tissue.
6. Glaucoma- a large group of eye diseases that are accompanied by a constant/periodic increase in intraocular pressure with the development of typical field defects.

In addition to the listed complications, a high degree of myopia leads to a deterioration in the quality of life; the patient is forced to constantly wear glasses or contact lenses.

When is disability possible?

With a high degree of myopia, with vision of 0.1 or lower, the patient has the right to claim disability. To do this, you need to contact an ophthalmologist, whose responsibilities include issuing referrals for other specialists and tests.

The patient must undergo an ECG, X-ray, ultrasound, the list of specialists is determined by the doctor based on the characteristics of the disease.

After filling out the referral for medical examination, the patient is sent to a medical commission, at this stage specialists check the correctness of filling out the documents. All documents are certified by the signature and seal of the head physician.

At the next stage, the patient contacts the medical examiner at his place of residence, after which the exact time and date of the examination are set. As part of the examination, an ophthalmological examination is carried out, based on the results of which the doctor makes a decision on the need to assign disability.

Video

This video will tell you in detail about the signs of high myopia.

Conclusion

1. Myopia is a serious visual impairment, which is accompanied by deformation of the eyeball; distant objects appear blurry, their contours are unclear.
2. The reasons for the development of the disease are very different, most often the pathology occurs against the background of a genetic predisposition.
3. With myopia, the patient cannot see distant objects; there are three degrees of myopia (high, medium and).
4. Treatment uses lenses, glasses, medications, laser correction, and surgery.
5. Compliance with certain preventive measures will prevent the development of myopia; eye strain should be avoided.

Features of playing sports for myopia and farsightedness

Myopia (myopia, from the Greek “myo” - squinting and “opsis” - looking) is a change in the shape of the eye from round to oval, due to which the refraction of light within it is disrupted, and light rays passing through the eyeball are focused in front of the retina, and not on her. Therefore, nearsighted people see objects that are far away as blurry. In this case, the retinal cells located in the zone of maximum light sensitivity are rarefied and stretched. This is the main reason why doctors prohibit activities related to jumping, hitting, straining and the possibility of getting a traumatic brain injury - due to the high risk of retinal rupture or detachment.

With farsightedness, for example, the eye is not elongated, but flattened, and the retina does not stretch as critically as with myopia. Therefore, farsighted people in sports are almost always given the green light, at least by ophthalmologists.

However, the diagnosis of “myopia” itself is not a final verdict that puts an end to sports activities. Firstly, it can be congenital and acquired. The second, naturally, is more dangerous.

Secondly, the degree of myopia matters. Officially distinguish:

• weak myopia - up to 3 diopters
• average myopia - from 3 to 6 diopters
• severe myopia - above 6 diopters

Up to 3 diopters, as a rule, there are no restrictions on physical activity. From 5 diopters - doctors are cautious in giving permission to play sports, even in the absence of degenerative changes in the fundus. In this case, novice athletes will have to forget about weightlifting, boxing, all types of wrestling, acrobatics and artistic gymnastics. Over 6 diopters is the maximum limitation, regardless of sports ranks and achievements.

Thirdly, this gradation is very arbitrary, since with -1 vision you can have progressive myopia (when it increases by one or more diopters per year). Then the doctor will think carefully about what conclusion to give you. Or you can walk around with -3 all your life, do boxing, wrestling and lifting iron, and your eyes will feel great. Well, maybe not exactly excellent, but no less than -3.

And fourthly, to summarize the previous two points, restrictions on playing sports are imposed not in accordance with the degree of myopia, but based on changes inside the eye. For example, it is much worse and more dangerous when, with weak myopia, hemorrhages are visible in the fundus of the eye and the retina is weakened than a stable condition with average myopia.

If your myopia does not progress, you should definitely engage in some kind of sport. If it is impossible to play sports with glasses and contact lenses, then you can take off your glasses during exercise. If you cannot use glasses, but visual acuity is necessary, then in such cases you need to use contact lenses worn directly on the eyeball.

When myopia develops, you should not engage in sports with great physical stress (boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, etc.).

If a person has myopia of more than 4 diopters, then doctors should not allow him to play sports. Myopia may progress during exercise, in which case the athlete should stop playing sports or reduce the load.

Playing sports can have a positive effect on vision stabilization. Sports games, swimming, skiing, and mountain sports give them great advantages.

When physical activity is limited, myopic people experience a deterioration in the blood supply to various organs, including the eyes, and a deterioration in the ability to accommodate. However, as the researchers note, not all physical exercises will be beneficial for people with myopia. The most useful are cyclic exercises of medium intensity (running, swimming), in which the heart rate remains at the level of 100-140 beats per minute. By causing blood flow to the eyes, these exercises improve the functioning of the ciliary muscle of the eye and normalize the circulation of intraocular fluid. High-intensity cyclic exercises, as well as acrobatics, jumping, exercises on gymnastic apparatus, causing an increase in heart rate up to 180 beats per minute, lead to significant long-term ocular ischemia, and are therefore contraindicated for myopic people.

A decrease in general physical activity and physical inactivity, combined with significant visual stress, which is often found among schoolchildren and students, contributes to the development and progression of myopia. To prevent the occurrence and treatment of myopia in children and youth, a combination of physical exercises aimed at general development with special exercises that improve blood supply to the eyes and cause strengthening of the ciliary muscle is recommended.

In order to correctly assess the possibility of engaging in certain types of physical education and sports, it is necessary to focus on the existing criteria for dividing students and schoolchildren into groups in accordance with the degree of myopia and the presence or absence of complications and changes in the fundus. According to this methodology, there are main, preparatory and special groups for physical education. Students with farsightedness or myopia greater than 6 diopters, chronic or degenerative eye diseases and changes in the fundus of the eye should study according to an individual program under the supervision of a doctor in a special group. All students with farsightedness or myopia from 3 to 6 diopters should be sent to the preparatory group. If refractive errors do not exceed 3 diopters, students can attend physical education classes in the main group.

Students and schoolchildren with a weak degree of myopia or hypermetropia benefit from sports games, during which there is a constant switching of vision alternately to close and far distances. Sports such as volleyball, basketball or table tennis have a beneficial effect on the accommodative ability of the eyes and train the eye muscles, preventing the progression of pathological changes in the organ of vision.

Students with moderate myopia or farsightedness should limit the intensity of physical education classes, as well as types of physical activity such as jumping (long jumping, high jumping, high jumping, etc.). Their physical education classes must be supplemented with special exercises aimed at strengthening the eye muscles, eye gymnastics, and physical therapy.

With a high degree of myopia, complications and changes in the fundus of the eye, a significant limitation of types of physical activity is indicated. Myopia and sports are not compatible in cases of sports disciplines such as boxing and wrestling, jumping, tennis and football, alpine skiing, weightlifting, cycling or equestrianism. Dosed cyclic exercises under the supervision of a doctor (running, swimming, race walking, shooting, rowing, fencing) will be useful.

Exercise therapy for myopia

To improve vision, patients with mild to moderate myopia should perform the following exercises daily to strengthen their muscles. It is necessary to include in all complexes the exercise “mark on glass” to train the ciliary muscle.

Sample exercises to improve vision:

A) The exercise is done standing, hands placed on the back of the head. First, raise your arms up, bend, then return to your current position. Do 7 times.

B) Circular movements of the head 4 times to the left and 4 times to the right.

C) Self-massage of the muscles of the back of the neck and back of the head for 60 seconds.

D) Circular movements of the eyes. Perform slowly first to the left, then to the right for about 1 minute.

D) Closing your eyes, lightly press your fingers on your eyeballs for about 35-45 seconds.

E) Exercise “mark on glass”. It is necessary to perform for about 1-2 minutes, training the muscles of the eye, first the left, then the right, and then together.

G) Closing your eyes, stroke your eyelids from the outer corners to your nose, and then back for about 40-45 seconds.

H) Perform rapid blinking for about 25-30 seconds.

I) Sit with your eyes closed for about 60 seconds and perform abdominal breathing.

Severe myopia (grade three) is a very serious disease that leads to disability. What is it and how to live with such a pathology? Myopia 3rd degree is myopia of the last stage; it can develop in both adults and children. For extreme myopia, more than -6 diopters is typical. This value can reach up to -15-30 diopters. In this case, they talk about it, which requires serious vision or even complex surgical interventions. Most often, both eyes are affected, but there may be exceptions.

With normal visual function, light rays are focused on the retina. In myopia, this occurs in front of the retina, producing a blurry image. A person begins to see distant objects poorly, and these changes occur gradually. Myopia of the 3rd degree can develop over years. No one knows how many years will pass from the onset of the pathology to a severe decrease in vision. But timely correction prevents the progression of complicated myopia and the appearance of adverse health consequences.

Vision correction with contact lenses or glasses may not be effective in cases of severe myopia. In severe clinical cases, specialists offer surgical treatment methods. But in order to understand how to cure high myopia, it is necessary to conduct a detailed examination of the patient and establish the features of his lifestyle.

Surgical methods for treating myopia are quite effective, especially laser microsurgery. There are many techniques that differ in the degree of impact, but have general principles of correction. If natural accommodation is lost and there is a high degree of myopia, the lens is refractively replaced with an artificial material that has different optical properties.

Features of grade 3 myopia in children

The average age at which myopia is diagnosed is 9-12 years. In adolescents, myopia increases. It is important to correct vision in a timely manner and eliminate the effects of negative environmental factors. Myopia in children is most often hereditary acquired type. At risk are children born with developmental anomalies, Down syndrome, severe prematurity and birth injuries.

You can suspect the development of myopia in childhood by the child’s habit of squinting his eyes while looking at distant objects, blinking frequently, wrinkling his forehead and bringing books too close to his eyes. When drawing, reading, or doing homework, such children tilt their heads strongly. They complain of a feeling of stinging and pain in their eyes, get tired quickly and are very tired at school.

If you suspect the development of myopia in a child, be sure to show the baby to a pediatric ophthalmologist. He will check your visual acuity, conduct the necessary studies and select the appropriate treatment. More often, specialists adhere to a wait-and-see approach, but it is recommended to limit physical activity and avoid visual fatigue. Highest myopia requires constant use of glasses. It is also recommended to use physiotherapy: laser therapy, electrical stimulation, electrophoresis, massage of the cervical-collar area.

Disability due to high myopia

For grade 3 myopia, disability group 1 is given. But obtaining it will require a set of measures, during which it is possible to prove the patient’s disability associated with partial loss of vision. The chances of getting a disability are reduced if only one eye has poor vision.

Pregnancy and childbirth with high myopia

Severe myopia does not interfere with conception. But a woman must understand that the disease is a contraindication for natural childbirth. During pregnancy, the load on the body and organ of vision increases. This can lead to dangerous complications, even. For even minimally invasive operations for myopia, pregnancy is a contraindication.

To prevent undesirable consequences, it is necessary to exclude physical activity. There is a high risk of losing vision.

Only an experienced doctor can decide whether a particular patient can give birth on her own or whether a caesarean section should be performed.

Exercises for myopia

Exercise therapy for high myopia requires the help of an experienced ophthalmologist. should be selected individually, and it is important to perform special exercises daily or every other day. Physical therapy may have contraindications, and this is also taken into account by the professional. You should not exercise during an exacerbation of any ophthalmological diseases, or with a severe deterioration in health.

useful gymnastics for the eyes

The main goal of eye exercises is to strengthen the muscles and increase metabolic processes in the tissues of the organ of vision. This can significantly improve the prognosis, reduce the rate of development of myopia, or completely stop the progression of the disease. Exercise therapy involves performing different eye movements (circular, side to side, up and down) a certain number of times. It is important not to overwork and do no more than 15 visual movements for each exercise at a time.

Complications of myopia 3rd degree

Complications of severe myopia occur quite rarely if the patient does not seek medical help and does not violate medical recommendations. Hemorrhage into the vitreous body and retina, dystrophic processes, amblyopia and loss of vision may occur.

Heavy physical labor can provoke adverse health consequences for myopia.

Even if the ophthalmologist allows heavy exercise during the period of improvement of well-being (usually at a young age), refrain from overwork. Otherwise, the disease may rapidly begin to progress further.

Prevention of disease development

Prevention of myopia begins in childhood and adolescence. It is especially important for those who have unfavorable heredity and a history of additional ophthalmological diseases. It is necessary to develop visual hygiene skills and strictly control the number of hours spent reading or using the computer. This will avoid the development of myopia in childhood and stop the progression of the disease in adulthood.

Every third person on our planet faces such unpleasant problems: the bus number is hard to see, it is impossible to distinguish prices in a store, the image on the TV screen is blurry, the child can only see from the board from the first desks. This indicates the presence of a common disease called myopia or myopia.

Development mechanism

The human eyes are a complex optical system. But quite often its operation fails, and some people have difficulty seeing objects at a distance.

The human eye refracts light rays that are reflected from various objects. In people with good vision, reflected rays are focused on the retina, and in a person suffering from myopia, they are focused in front of it. That is why, with myopia, objects near are clearly visible, but everything that is located at a distance is poorly visible. If the vision index decreases by more than 6 diopters, a diagnosis of high myopia is made.

What causes myopia?

Most often, myopia begins to develop from early school age. There are many reasons that cause vision loss, but experts identify the following main factors:

• hereditary predisposition (it has been scientifically proven that if both parents are myopic, the likelihood of their child developing myopia is 50%);
• excessive or improper load on the organs of vision (poor lighting when writing, reading or sitting at the monitor without rest for a long time, etc.);
• weakening of the eye sclera due to impaired mineral and protein metabolism in it;
• poor blood supply to the eyes;
• congenital weakness of connective tissues;
• primary weakness of the accommodative muscle;
• deficiencies of microelements and vitamins in the diet;
• incorrectly selected vision correction products (glasses, contact lenses).

Symptoms and diagnosis of the disease

High myopia, like other types of myopia, is characterized by the patient’s obligatory complaint of decreased visual acuity when viewing objects at a distance. They appear fuzzy and blurry, which is why nearsighted people often squint. This disease also has other unpleasant symptoms: blurring and darkening before the eyes, slow refocusing when moving the gaze from a distant object to a near one, double image, distortion of the colors of objects, increased photosensitivity, “flying spots”. Very often, headaches occur during visual activity. The performance of the eyes decreases, and they quickly tire.

Diagnostic examinations are carried out by an ophthalmologist and include the following procedures:

• checking visual acuity without correction means when viewing at a distance;
• assessment of the condition of the retina, blood vessels and optic nerve by examining the fundus of the eye;
• determining the degree of myopia in the patient.

Myopia in children

In most cases, the cause of myopia in children is considered to be a hereditary factor. Very rarely, myopia occurs in infants and children of primary school age. At this age, there are practically no strong visual loads, and the visual system is developing. Most often, the initial signs of this pathology appear in childhood or adolescence. The first symptoms, as a rule, appear in children 7-12 years old. At this time, the load on the eyes increases significantly, which favors the development of the disease. It is important not to miss the occurrence of myopia at an early stage. The child gets tired quickly, bends low over notebooks and textbooks, squints and sees clearly from the board only from the first desks - all these factors should be alarming.

Timely detection of pathology and qualified assistance from a specialist will help stop vision deterioration. Competent correction, proper nutrition and special therapeutic exercises often give effective results, and myopia in children is cured.

Degrees of the disease

Myopia is classified into axial, refractive and mixed. The most common type is axial myopia of the eye. It is considered the most serious of the listed pathologies, since a person’s eyeball is elongated. As its size increases, myopia occurs. Pathology indicators increase depending on the growth of the eyeball.

Refractive myopia is characterized by increased refractive power of the lens or cornea, but the optical ocular axis is of normal size. For an adult, its length is 24 mm.

Depending on vision indicators, experts distinguish three degrees of myopia:

• weak - up to -3 diopters;
• average - from -3.25 to -6 diopters;
• high - more than -6 diopters.

High myopia and its consequences

In patients with a high rate of myopia, the eyeball is stretched. When examined by a specialist, photographic images of the retina reveal characteristic manifestations in the fundus, which makes it possible to diagnose the disease. The posterior segment of the eyeball increases the most, which leads to pathological changes in the anatomy and physiology of the eye. The condition of the retina worsens, but this most strongly affects the vessels of the fundus. They become brittle. As a result, serious complications such as destruction of the vitreous body, dystrophy, stretching of the retina or hemorrhage into it are possible.

High myopia can lead to a more unfavorable outcome - retinal detachment, leading to complete loss of vision. In case of flat detachment, there is a chance to save vision by undergoing a course of laser treatment.

With a high degree of myopia, vibrations and shaking of the body, as well as lifting any weights, are prohibited.

Progressive form of myopia

The course of high myopia can be progressive or non-progressive. With an annual increase in lenses of 1 diopter or more, ophthalmologists believe that the disease is progressing. Progressive myopia in some cases takes a malignant course, so ophthalmologists consider it a serious pathology. Experts divide this form of the disease into two groups:

• myopia, for which it was possible to determine the reasons for its progressive growth, but no complications were identified;
• myopia with complications.

The disease is in all cases of axial nature. High myopia causes changes in the fundus of the eye. With a progressive form, myopic staphylomas and cones are most often large in size. Changes also occur in the macular area. The posterior ocular pole is stretched, which leads to cracks in the choroidal film. With progressive myopia, pathological processes also occur in the fundus in the extreme periphery. The retina becomes thinner, and the vitreous body in this area changes. As a result, one of the symptoms of the progressive form appears - these are “flying spots” before the eyes. The patient sees spots of various sizes that are mobile.

Treatment

An ophthalmologist assesses the degree and course of myopia and prescribes one of the necessary treatment methods: vision correction, therapy and surgery. Non-progressive myopia does not require treatment and can be easily corrected. Vision is corrected by selecting the appropriate contact lenses or glasses for the patient.

Therapy is usually used when the patient has progressive myopia. Treatment of this pathology is not an easy task. It consists of providing the eyes with complete rest, excluding bright light, proper nutrition, and eye exercises. This is carried out in conjunction with therapy with vitamins and drugs that improve metabolism and blood supply to tissues.

Also, in the treatment of high myopia, a number of special procedures are used:

• electrical stimulation;
• magnetic therapy;
• laser therapy;
• computer eye trainers.

Operation

In some cases, high myopia can be cured only through surgical treatment. Treatment with surgical intervention can return visual acuity to normal, and not only correct it, but in some cases save it from blindness.

The most common method of surgical intervention is laser correction. It is used for high myopia with a vision index of at least -13 diopters. If the degree of myopia is higher, then other surgical techniques are used.

High myopia up to -20 diopters is treated with refractive lens replacement. Through a microscopic incision it is replaced with a refractive lens with the required optical index.

If the patient's eye has a natural ability to accommodate, then the lens is not removed, but the technique of implanting phakic lenses is used. They are implanted into the anterior and posterior ocular chambers. The method is used for myopia up to -25 diopters.

Prevention

One of the main preventive measures is the correct visual load regimen. The eyes need alternating work and rest. A balanced diet should contain vitamins and minerals necessary for vision: vitamin A, magnesium, zinc and others.

Proper organization of workplace lighting will help reduce eye strain. These simple preventive measures will minimize the likelihood of the occurrence and further development of myopia. Prevention is especially important for children with a hereditary tendency to myopia.