Aa
Myopic degeneration
Three months ago I noticed a waviness and grey patch in the central vision of my left eye. I went to the RS, and had a eye exam and OCT done, and it was found to be a bleeding from laquer crack. Both the waviness and grey patch has since been gone, and I believe there is a very slight effect (vision seems not as clear as before, tho it's quite slight) on my left eyesight. The RS explained that this was due to the thinning of the RPE and retina, and there is at present not much I or they can do to arrest the issue. I am 33, and have very severe myopia, L-18.00D R-20.00D. Been wearing specs since very young.
Dear doc, could you advise me based on your experiences, what will the future holds for le like me who has very high myopia? Am I right to say the potential of going blind or visually challenged in future is very high? What will the most important factor that will determine how bad my eye condition will get in future? It seems like my myopia has not stabilised, despite the fact that it should stabilised in your early twenties.
Is there any older people out there with severe myopia and still coping well with their sight?
I've been very worried ever since this episode. Before that, I never know and therefore, never worry, that high myopia will lead to so much complications later in life. And now the posibilities of all these happening seems so real. To make matter worse, my girlfriend, whom I have the intention to get married, is also very severely short-sighted (about 11D and 13D), and has lazy eye in one eye. I kept thinking what will the future holds for us if we shall get together. It certainly looks bleak, very bleak.. I really can't imagine about the future as the potential of both of us going blind one day seems so real!
Doc, what do you think we should do??? Any advices will be appreciated.
Dear doc, could you advise me based on your experiences, what will the future holds for le like me who has very high myopia? Am I right to say the potential of going blind or visually challenged in future is very high? What will the most important factor that will determine how bad my eye condition will get in future? It seems like my myopia has not stabilised, despite the fact that it should stabilised in your early twenties.
Is there any older people out there with severe myopia and still coping well with their sight?
I've been very worried ever since this episode. Before that, I never know and therefore, never worry, that high myopia will lead to so much complications later in life. And now the posibilities of all these happening seems so real. To make matter worse, my girlfriend, whom I have the intention to get married, is also very severely short-sighted (about 11D and 13D), and has lazy eye in one eye. I kept thinking what will the future holds for us if we shall get together. It certainly looks bleak, very bleak.. I really can't imagine about the future as the potential of both of us going blind one day seems so real!
Doc, what do you think we should do??? Any advices will be appreciated.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're welcome.
JCH3MD
JCH3MD
Thank you so much doctor for your very encouraging words!
Hopefully in the not so distant future, there will be a cure or effective treatment found for these devastating eye diseases.
Once again, I extend my greatest gratitude and thanks for your help and encouragements!
Wish you and your family members will be well and healthy always!
Thanks!!!!!
Hopefully in the not so distant future, there will be a cure or effective treatment found for these devastating eye diseases.
Once again, I extend my greatest gratitude and thanks for your help and encouragements!
Wish you and your family members will be well and healthy always!
Thanks!!!!!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello myopic 74, thanks for the kind words. I have a very large practice and have been in the practice of ophthalmology for over 30 years. I have many, many highly myopic individuals. I have none of them that are totally blind. Most of they function quite well. Often because of myopic macular degeneration they don't have perfect 20/20 vision. Probably 90% of them are between 20/30 and 20/50. That is good enough to drive and read. Probably 5% see 20/20 to 20/25. The remaining 5% see worse than 20/50. Some of these would see much better had their neovascular "wet" macular degeneration occured now that we have photodynamic therapy and VEGF inhibitors. I can think of only one woman that is legally blind in both eyes and she functions extremely well in spite of her handicap.
Things will just get better and better because of research that is coming to the fore now and in the near future.
JCH III MD Eye MD
Things will just get better and better because of research that is coming to the fore now and in the near future.
JCH III MD Eye MD
Dear doc,
I really appreciate the invaluable advises that you've given me and for so many other people who are like me and who otherwise may have difficulty in finding the advises elsewhere. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
I am sure they are many severe myopes out there who are also suffering from retina degeneration and is in the same state of hopelessness and facing with a uncertain future and I believe whatever advises that you may give to me will also help to address some of their worries and anxieties.
I would be very grateful if you could perhaps give me some clues or glimpses on my future visual prospects based on my conditions described above (25/8/07). Afterall, with your vast clinical experiences and expertise, I am sure you will have seen enough pathological myopic patients than most of us to give a well informed opinion.
Finally, I would like to extend my gratefulness to you and other doctors who contribute in this forum and I am sure everyone here recognise and appreciate and benefitted tremendously from the good work that you'all have done.
THANK YOU!!
I really appreciate the invaluable advises that you've given me and for so many other people who are like me and who otherwise may have difficulty in finding the advises elsewhere. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
I am sure they are many severe myopes out there who are also suffering from retina degeneration and is in the same state of hopelessness and facing with a uncertain future and I believe whatever advises that you may give to me will also help to address some of their worries and anxieties.
I would be very grateful if you could perhaps give me some clues or glimpses on my future visual prospects based on my conditions described above (25/8/07). Afterall, with your vast clinical experiences and expertise, I am sure you will have seen enough pathological myopic patients than most of us to give a well informed opinion.
Finally, I would like to extend my gratefulness to you and other doctors who contribute in this forum and I am sure everyone here recognise and appreciate and benefitted tremendously from the good work that you'all have done.
THANK YOU!!
Dear doctor,
I just went for an appointment with my RS yesterday.
I realised that my left eye was in a more bad shape compared to the right. Both has got some lacquer cracks, which I incidentally came across from an article in the internet that it occurs in only 4% of high myopes (those above -6D). Besides that, I also read that having lacquer cracks will significantly increase our chances of getting CNV later on, as the process of tissue repairs and wound healing may trigger the growth of abnormal blood vessels in time to come. Besides, these blood vessels may also have a better chance of penetrating and leaks into the retina through these cracks. So far, the retina bleed in my left eye has healed and I couldn't see the blood patch that has been obsturcting my central vision earlier on. However, I am really quite uncertain and fearful what kind of future that I will be facing, if one day CNV shall occur.
Doc, I heard that Omega 3 fatty acids (from fish oils such as salmon) can be beneficial in preventing the growth of abnormal blood vessels, do you think it helps? Is it also true that the longer it is (say between 10 years and 20 years), the more likely the chances of getting CNV?
My RS said I also had some chloriorentina atrophy and some signs of virteous degeneration in both eyes, and very mild posterior staphyloma and some lattice degeneration in my left eye. I had the axial length measured using A-scan and it was about 30.6mm in the left and 30.8 in the right. In view of all these, do you still seriously think I am likely to have fair to good vision all my life as what you have previously mentioned?
To be very honest, I have lost confidence already in my eyes' ability to be able to last trouble-free till even 50 years old as everything that is bad (chlorioretina atrophy, lacquer cracks, posterior staphyloma, sub-retina bleeding, lattice degeneration, virteous degeneration), my eyes have it.
I just went for an appointment with my RS yesterday.
I realised that my left eye was in a more bad shape compared to the right. Both has got some lacquer cracks, which I incidentally came across from an article in the internet that it occurs in only 4% of high myopes (those above -6D). Besides that, I also read that having lacquer cracks will significantly increase our chances of getting CNV later on, as the process of tissue repairs and wound healing may trigger the growth of abnormal blood vessels in time to come. Besides, these blood vessels may also have a better chance of penetrating and leaks into the retina through these cracks. So far, the retina bleed in my left eye has healed and I couldn't see the blood patch that has been obsturcting my central vision earlier on. However, I am really quite uncertain and fearful what kind of future that I will be facing, if one day CNV shall occur.
Doc, I heard that Omega 3 fatty acids (from fish oils such as salmon) can be beneficial in preventing the growth of abnormal blood vessels, do you think it helps? Is it also true that the longer it is (say between 10 years and 20 years), the more likely the chances of getting CNV?
My RS said I also had some chloriorentina atrophy and some signs of virteous degeneration in both eyes, and very mild posterior staphyloma and some lattice degeneration in my left eye. I had the axial length measured using A-scan and it was about 30.6mm in the left and 30.8 in the right. In view of all these, do you still seriously think I am likely to have fair to good vision all my life as what you have previously mentioned?
To be very honest, I have lost confidence already in my eyes' ability to be able to last trouble-free till even 50 years old as everything that is bad (chlorioretina atrophy, lacquer cracks, posterior staphyloma, sub-retina bleeding, lattice degeneration, virteous degeneration), my eyes have it.
Dear doctor, thank you very much for your advises!
I wish you and your family the best of health and all the best in your endeavors.
I am greatly indebted to your invaluable advises and everyone who contributes in this forum.
One last question. Is angiod streaks and 'lacquer cracks' the same thing?
I wish you and your family the best of health and all the best in your endeavors.
I am greatly indebted to your invaluable advises and everyone who contributes in this forum.
One last question. Is angiod streaks and 'lacquer cracks' the same thing?
You are reading content posted in the Eye Care Forum
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Eye whitening, iris color change, and eyeball "bling." Eye expert Dr. John Hagan warns of the dangers from these unnecessary surgeries.
Eye expert John Hagan, MD, FACS, FAAO discusses factors to consider and discuss with your eye care team before embarking on cataract surgery.
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
Protect against the leading cause of blindness in older adults
Got dry eyes? Eye drops aren't the only option! Ophthalmologist John C. Hagan III, MD explains other possible treatments.
