4 Types of Complications Caused by Myopia

Myopia is a highly common condition that affects a sizable amount of people in this modern world, and according to the Ministry of Health, Singapore has one the of the highest prevalence of myopia; around 65% of the children having myopia by 12 years old and 83%  of young adults having myopia. 

Myopia to the general public may not seem to be a serious cause of concern. However, there is a strong misconception that there are no associated risks or complications when one is diagnosed to have Myopia.
 

Being the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness across the world, it is important for one to take action or seek appropriate medical or physical intervention to slow down or even possibly control myopia whenever possible, through seeking relevant treatments at the various facilities.

The power of prescription for myopia is generally classified into “Low, Moderate, High and Extreme”. With the increase of one’s prescription, which indirectly translates to a greater physical elongation of the eyeball, increases the chances of experiencing several visual complications. However, this does not mean that people who have low to moderate myopia will not experience visual complications. Hence, there is no guarantee of a ‘safe’ level of myopia. 
 

Here are the 4 complications that are caused by myopia:
 

1. Myopia Macular Degeneration

Myopia Macular Degeneration is a condition whereby the continuous stretching of the eyeball as a result from myopia leads to a permanent, eventual damage to the part of the eye that allows us to see, which is also known as the retina.

Permanant damage to the retina can cause various types of complicated conditions or even further detrimental effects as the retina’s role is to capture light that enters the eye. When the centre part of the retina (also known as the macula) degenerates beyond the stage where there is loss of photoreceptors (cells that respond to light), it may crack which could possibly lead to retinal bleeding or even further complications. This can ultimately lead to severe visual impairment or in worse cases, blindness. 

2. Retinal diseases

As we all know, myopia is caused by the elongation of the eyeball. This in turn causes the retina to stretch, and in some instances, this stretching can potentially result in tears in the retina. An annotation would be like an elastic band being stretched, it becomes progressively weaker and thinner when subjected to stretching, which could result in the snapping of the elastic band. Similar to that annotation, this ‘snapping’ of the retina can lead to retinal diseases like retinal tear, retinal holes or even retinal detachment which can lead to irreversible blindness.
 

Here are some symptoms that you may experience if you have these complications:

• Sudden increase in floaters (transparent greyish specks that floats around in your vision)

• Flashes of light in one or both eyes (like a lightning strike or spots of light)

• Gradual reduced of peripheral vision (vision at the side)

• Curtain-like shadow over your vision
   

If you experience any of these symptoms, please do seek medical help and treatment immediately. 

3. Thinner spectacle lenses

Besides being at a higher risk of certain sight threatening conditions, having a higher prescription may cause you to fork up more money for your lenses. The higher your degree is, the thicker and heavier your lenses will be. For thinner lenses that feel lighter on your face, you will need to invest more to get higher index lenses. This can add extra progressive expenses to each new pair of spectacles that you make, with the worsening of the myopia condition.

4. Problems in refractive surgery

Like any surgical procedure, there are associated risks that come with it. Certain conditions may pose a higher risk for an unsuccessful surgery, likewise for refractive surgery like LASIK, the higher the prescription, the higher the probability that one would face the risk of having post-surgery complications. One of the most common post surgery complications is corneal ectasia. This condition causes the cornea to bulge into a cone-like shape which causes severe visual problems and is difficult to treat and manage. You may also be more likely to experience halos and/or other visual disturbances around light after surgery. Higher prescription may also add on to the cost of refractive surgery procedures.

Slowing down the onset of myopia can potentially help reduce the degree of your child’s myopia when they continue to grow and develop into a healthy adult. This is especially important for children, particularly those where either one or both parents are myopic. Here are some ways to slow down the onset of myopia for children:
 

• Spend at least 2 hours on outdoor activities everyday

• Reduce the duration of constant near work; take a break every 30 minutes

• Opt for myopia control lenses instead of normal lenses for children who are myopic.

• Use any of the myopia control management programme offered by us

Protect your eyes and vision with EMME Visioncare

If you suspect you have myopia or are experiencing blurry vision, get in touch with EMME Visioncare to book a comprehensive eye exam. Eye examinations are crucial to keeping track of your eye health and vision, and our optometrists and opticians can help to diagnose any issues, and recommend a best course of treatment. Get in touch for more information on our services.