high myopia/retina tears?

[Loti]

I am 25 and have somewhat high myopia - about -8.25/-7.75 in both eyes. My myopia started in 4th grade, and I had a huge jump of -3 to -6 from 4th to 6th grade. From there it just kind of moved up slowly to where it is now.
My main concern is that my eyes will just keep on getting worse. My doctor said my eyes are healthy and that my progression is normal and should stop very soon. I still worry.

I know that -8 is high and does cause an increased risk for retina tears/detachment. I think I just want to know is do people with -9's and -10's always have retina tears? Should I expect one or are the odds smaller than I think? Are there people with -9 and -10 who have never had tears? I just keep reading that retina tears can happen in people with high myopia (over -6 they say). I think just having these answers will ease my nerves. Thank you.

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

Well you have a lot going for you in a minimum of risk factors. Odds are you will not reach double didget myopia.

JCH MD

[Loti]

I am bi-racial (Black/White). I have the highest myopia in my family. My dad didn't wear glasses, and my mom is a 5.5 and grandma is a 3.5. I was born about 3 weeks early.
I know my myopia is not horrible, vision problems have just always been a fear of mine. Each time I go for an eye exam, my anxiety goes through the roof. My fiance has 20/20, so I am hoping my future children will have a chance of mild myopia, or at least better than mine!

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

There is no way to predict where you will end up. A lot depends on your family history (are there high myopes) are you Asian (more likely to progress), were your premature (more likely to progress).

You are "barely" a high myope.

JCH MD

[Loti]

Thanks. Quick question about progression. Is this normal?
When I was 21 (2006), my script was 6.75.
At my next exam in May of 2008 (age 23), it went to 7.5 and 7.75
In October of 2009 (age 24), the 7.5 went to 8.25 and the 7.75 went to 8.
My next contact exam will be in June (age 25). I know you can't predict the change, but what would be somewhat normal for my age. I just thought by 20 it would have stopped. I was only 6.0 at age 20 which would have made me much less stressed!!! I'm just afraid it is going to keep moving up .5 and .75 until I am in double digits.

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

People with high myopia (>6 diopters: definition number varies) have higher risks of retinal detachments, myopic macular degeneration, retinal holes and tears. BUT it is important to put it in perspective. If the risk of a retinal detachment in a large number of random selectedly people who have not had cataract surgery is say one in 8,000 among high myopes who have not had cataract surgery the risk may vary from one ina thousand to one in 500. So the odds are high myopes will NOT have these problems.

JCH MD

[AntonReiser]

My first prescription was -3,5 at the age of 6. I am now 51 yo and wear glasses: OS -10,5D;cyl. -0,75D; OD -13,75D; cyl. -2,25D. I have floaters and pavestone degeneration. But I never had a retinal tear or detachment.
It is likely that I will get some additional kind of myopic degeneration when I get older, but it doesn't need to affect my vision very much.