Thank you for your complete and informative responses.
Dear zelmo,
It is a good idea to have your retina examined. There are many ways to examine the peripheral retina and indirect ophthalmoscopy [headset] is often used. The cataract can sometimes interfere with the visualization of the retina.
Dr. Feldman
Sandy T. Feldman, M.D., M.S.
ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center
San Diego, California
Scleral indentation is the gold standard as far as I understand it. You will know when you have it as you will essentially have a cotton bud shoved into the edges of your eye. Uncomfortable but reassuring. Have a retina specialist do it.
I am thinking that with your family and personal medical history it is very important to let a specialist look at the whole retina.
The only way I have ever had one is by dilating the pupils with a medication and then the retina specialist looks via an indirect opthalmascope (headset) into the eye.
The nearsightedness is" extreme. "That is like a code word for stretched thin retina and at high risk to detach during or after the cataract extraction.
Retina specialist is the way to go. If you show signs of detachment or tears they can laser you usually right away and prevent it from getting much worse.
It is just a routine monitoring and worth every ounce of the prevention it affords.
Go for it.