myopia and lifestyle

I’m a 30 years male from Belarus. I have myopia (sphere -8.5, cylinder -1.5 ) in both eyes and “snail-track” dystrophy in one eye (coagulated by laser in 1999). My retinas are examined on the annual basis and during 2004-2010 they are additionally coagulated several times (small areas of thinning as I was told).

I’m very afraid of that fact. Is it OK to have so many laser surgeries on retina?

My doctor in Belarus said last week: “I found nothing very bad in your eyes, everything needed I’ve done, check up regularly one time in one-two year, live as usual, but be cautious and especially avoid direct trauma”.

Could I put several questions on this?

1) Is it possible for my myopia in my age to progress?

2) What can be done to prevent a long-term progression of the retinal dystrophy? Diet, vitamins, exercises?

3) My work is very “computerized” (it can be 6-8 hours a day). Can a computer damage my myopia and dystrophy?

4) What kind of sports activity I'm allowed? I don’t clearly understand when I’m engaged in risky activities and when I’m simply having a fear to do the absolutely normal action. For example, I know that heavy lifting is undesirable, but is there any rule of the thumb to distinguish between light and heavy lifting? Can I exercise with 6-10kg weights (in the framework of so called morning exercises)? Can I handle the furniture items in the apartment?

5) Can I ride a bicycle when the road is not enough flat? What’s about jogging?

6) I’ve read some papers on myopia heredity and near-work factor. There are a lot of contradictions there. What do practitioners think on this? I’m interested in such “thinking” experiment: two monozygotic twins are separated after birth, one lives in the city, gets PhD and myopia -9, the second lives on some island in rural culture without books, computers and other types of near-work, but with fresh air and the sun. What myopia would he have? No at all? Not more than -6?

7) And continuing the last question – how to behave with the children (not have, but planed)? Prevent them from reading a lot, from a computer? But where is the line “it’s OK and this is too much” here? Or let them live in the way they want to?

I’m very sorry for my long question. Thank you very much!

[Ray T Oyakawa, MD]

1) yes, 2) nothing, 3), It can make your myopia progress-get special glasses for the computer,  4) Anything  non contact sports, 5) Yes, yes, 6) myopia has both genetic and environmental factors.   There is increasing myopia in the US and computer and computer games may be contributing, 7) Opinion varies.

Dr. O.

[vlad79]

Mr. Oyakawa! Thank you very much for the answer!

One more question if you allow. Whether the risk of myopia progression in 30+ lower if my refraction seems to be stable during last 8 years (measured by autorefractometrs and by charts)?

Vlad