A question for Dr. Hagan? Degenerative Myopia.

[jonjon20110]

I am a 25 year old male who was born with congential glaucoma and nystagmus, so I've always had a bit of trouble with my eyes.  I've also always needed to wear glasses not only to help with the above problems but also myopia.  My glaucoma was under control until about a year ago the pressure went to 48 in the left eye and I lost a little bit of vision but had a shunt put in, and now the pressure is under control.  

My question is, in June I started having irritation in my eyes mostly the right, went and was checked by my Opth. who said it was allergies.  I was seeing 20/30 in the right eye wearing -3.75D.  Within the last 5 months I've had to change glasses twice, I'm now wearing -5 in the left eye and seeing 2070 and seeing 20/50 wearing -4.50 in the right.  I'm always checking my vision each morning because it always feels like it's getting worse, although this could be me just overthinking things.  I thought everyones eyes stopped growing in their late teens/early 20's.  The last time the Opth. checked my retinas (about a month ago) he said everything looked healthy, and my eye pressure has remained perfect.  I do have floaters but have always had them.  Does this sound like Pathological / Degenerative Myopia to you?  

Thank you very much for your time and help.

[amborishnath]

A related discussion, pathological myopia??? dont know.... was started.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Perhaps the most common cause for increasing myopia in older patients and in younger patients with a complex history like you is that the eyes are developing cataracts this causes the glasses myopic RX to increase but its "pseudo-" or false myopia.

I would get a second opinion but odds are you are developing a cataract.

JCH MD

[dukey]

This is almost certainly NOT degenerative myopia and you need to find other causes for your vision decrease. Pathological myopia typically is found in people over -6 to -8 (depending on who you ask). Seek an alternative explanation.