Retinal thinning: I need some understanding

Doctor--

I have a couple of questions concerning retinal health (understanding and prognosis) as it pertains to my case:
23-year old female
No history of eye injuries/surgeries
Myopic (-6.50 right eye; -7.25 left eye).
No clinical evidence of bacterial or viral infections
Diagnosed with blepharitis 4-5 months ago
Chronic conjunctivitis and eye discharge (usually whitish and stringy, most prominent upon waking up) ever since
Symptoms attributed to allergies, change of season, and seborrheic dermatitis
Some symptomatic relief through daily eye-lid scrubs
As of October of 2010: significant increase in the number of floaters and onset of flashers.
In the past month I've had three retinal examinations.
I'm perplexed by the results which read as follows:

First exam
New floaters, no tears or retinal detachment

Second exam
Floaters (left eye), lattice degeneration (left eye)

Third exam
Tiny holes and retinal thinning in both eyes
Doctor used the term "cottage cheese" to describe the appearance of a finding.
He attributed the findings to myopia and recommended laser treatment.

These three diagnoses confuse me not because I find them inconsistent but because they seem to indicate a rather rapid progression of retinal problems. My questions are:

1. Is it normal for lattice degeneration (or less specifically retinal thinning) to progress in the manner/at the rate it has? Is there a "peak"?

2. My doctor's phrasing-- "cottage cheese appearance"-- had me worried. Could it suggest CMV retinitis? Is my OCULAR  immune system compromised?
Considerations about my health:
a. Healthy immune system-- no chemotherapy, no organ transplants, HIV-negative
b. Short course of topical steroid eye-drops aimed at blepharitis
c. History of herpes/recurrent outbreaks
d. Short course of Protopic cream aimed at seborrheic dermatitis

While I prepare for my next consultation with my doctor, I'd appreciate an answer. Thank you very much in advance.

[Houman Vosoghi, MD]

1. No, usually does not progress rapidly.  Likely on the first exam it wasn't as clearly documented.  Very common for a young nearsighted patient to have lattice degeneration.  Occasionally holes are found in the area of "thining"/lattice and some doctors do perform barricade laser to protect the eye from retinal detachment.
2.  Not sure what "cottage cheese" refers to.  Not a technical term.  Unlikely you have CMV retinitis unless you have active AIDS with a very low CD4 count.  So don't worry about this one.

Make sure your doctor is a retina specialist/surgeon.  You could always also get a second opinion if you are not comfortable with your doctor.

HV

[Wingtips]

Dr. Vosoghi,

Thank you kindly for your reply. It's reassuring to learn of the link between myopia and lattice degeneration and that it's a frequent condition that's not related to infections/viruses. Yes, it's quite probable that the earliest results were not clearly documented seeing as they were released by a general/primary eye doctor. I've been referred to a retina specialist who is following my case. Thanks for the information on CMV also. I'm HIV-negative, so it's good to know I don't have to worry about the CMV. Thank you again.

Best.