HIGH MYOPIA AND SPORT - to John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO

[Shannow]

Hello. I have a very extreme myopia. Almost -30 at my 22 years old. Last year i was diagnosed with myopic degeneration in the right eye. I have a very thin atrophic patch because o a crack in my choroid related to very long axial length. But my retina seems ok. I am not concerned anymore about CNV. Lucentis, Avastin are very promising and Eyelea is even more and there are new treatments on the horizon, But I am really arid o retinal detachment and chorioretinal atrophies. How blinding are them?

The second question before the main question is. I understand how stem cells and regenerative medicine can work on eyes with a normal shape - replace the death cells. But if my eye is very large it has to be produced more tissue. Do you think it can be done. or example make retina very thick in high myopes or is theoretical impossible?

And my last question. I am a little chubby. I want to loose weigh and start doing some sport or even grain muscles. I have a very huge motivation recently, but i am really afraid because of my axial length with is 33 mm. What activities do you recommend me because every specialist i asked told me that he don't know just avoid trauma in the head. But i believe that sports for example weight lifting can harm eyes. But why? How much weigh lifting is saw or me? Can i do push-ups? Can i do exercises or my Abb?

I really appreciate your opinion so i wanted your help. Than you-

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

You can also go to www.msma.org  look under communications and the articles from Missouri Medicine have other articles on preventifve cardiology. I neglected to say I am a former believer in "too much exercise is not enough" I've been a marathon length runner since 1967 and have done two Half Iron Man Triathlon's finishing in top 10 in my age group both times.  I have high coronary artery calcium scores as a reasult of this lifetime of over endurance exercising.

JCH MD

[Ironbear]

Thanks very much...will do

gerard

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

A good organization would be Research To Prevent Blindness.  By the way there is recent evidence that Iron Man length endurance events are cardio-toxic. Go to some of the heart and cardiology forums. Look at the feature articles and scroll through them until you get to the paper that is on excessive endurance exercise and cardiac damage.  Also you can use an internet search engine and find all the other papers.  If you go to the main triathlon website and look under "Breakfast with Bob" look at the interview where a recent Iron Man Triathlon winner (name escapes me at present) talks about his aortic valve surgery and his comments that endurance athletes all over the world have contacted him about heart trouble the attribute to too much endurance exercise.   The new paradigm is that anything where you go flat out for over an hour is bad for the heart, especially if older than 40.  

JCH MD

[Ironbear]

Dr John,

It turns out that my vitreous detached causing the floaters.  My retina specialist performed laser surgery to weld some parts.

Anyway, he has given me clearance to bike again. No swimming and running yet until my next check up i hope.

Anyway, he hopes I can still do ironman florida on november. In this light, can you recommend a foundation I could tie up with. I have been contemplating on racing for raising funds for eye research or eye treatments for athletes?

Thank you doctor.

gerard

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

I can make only general comments. Most floaters are due to posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) which is not a disease but a aging change in the eye. use the search feature and archives and read the many posts about PVD and floaters.  Generally eyes share "risks" for most eye condtions.

I am a triathalete also having done two Half Iron Man's.  In general there is no reason you should not be able to do triathalon's or each of the events swim, bike, run  Mountain biking is hazardous and you put every bone and cell in your body at risk if you do extreme mountain biking. Better to stick to easy trails and reduce risk of face plant. Alsways wear a helmet.

You do not need to spend money to come to the USA for "floaters"

JCH MD

[Ironbear]

I am a 41yr old male, currently experiencing floaters on my right eye.  I am scheduled for a B-Scan today to determine the extent of my injury.

My opthalmologist in the Philippines says that I have high myopia which may have caused this plus my love for sports.  I am an avid triathlete, meaning swimming, biking and running.  I have been doing it the past 6 years and last January,  I shifted to a more extreme sport...that of mountain biking.

I have 3 questions on my mind right now...
1)  My opthalmologist said that my condition can be cured however, I cannot do sports anymore.  Or...can I still go back to my PREVIOUS routine and just remove the mountain biking which aggravated this situation?  Previously,  I only do long but low intense workouts.  In mountain biking, it was short but totally intense.

2) IS there risk to my left eye or are they completely separated?

3) After whatever treatment is given in the Philippines,  I would like to know how I could schedule an appointment with you for further evaluation.  Am I allowed to ride planes despite this condition?

Thank you for your time.

Gerard

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

you are welcome JCH MD

[Shannow]

Thank you very much doctor. Your answers are very cerfully answered as usual. Thank you again :)

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

1. question. there is no way to answer this because these problems (RD and chorio-retinal atrophy) can range from completely assymptomatic to loss of most of the vision of the eye.
2. When, and there is no way to predict when that will occur, it is possible to regrow retinas with stem-cells, nanotechnology or a new area of science highly myopic eyes should not be more difficult to deal with than simple myopia or "normal" eyes. This is a hypothetical question and a hypothetical answer.
3. Any weight loss program must start with a change in diet and reducing calories.  Almost every person must reduce calories to keep weight off; exercises alone is not enough. You need to ask your retina specialist about your specific case. Generally avoiding contact sports is a good idea; racquet sports need sports goggles for protection, walking, swimming, jogging are wonderful.  Generally if a person does moderate weights and uses high reps to fatigue and challenge the muscle it is not a problem.  Power lifting and trying to achieve very high weight with a single lift is generally not good.  Push-ups and sit ups and abs exercises are normally not a problem but again ask your Eye MD.

Good luck creating the "new slimmer and healthier you"

JCH MD

[Shannow]

CORRECTION:
But i believe that sports for example: weight lifting can harm my eyes. But why? How much weigh lifting is safe for me? Can i do push-ups? Can i do exercises or my Abb?