Dra. Daniela Barba Castelo | Ophthalmologist
Pathological myopia
Dra. Daniela Barba Castelo | Ophthalmologist
What is pathological myopia?
Pathological myopia is described when an eye is larger than normal, especially in the back of the eye, and this is accompanied by thinning of the walls of the eye. When an eye measures more than 26 millimeters on the anteroposterior axis, it is when we classify the patient with pathological myopia or when the patient has more than 6 diopters.
Pathological myopia is considered disabling and one of the leading causes of blindness. There are different characteristics in patients with this condition, the eye being more elongated can cause a rupture of its layers in the area of better vision and as a consequence form a neovascular membrane. In addition, the exaggerated growth of the eye produces an early posterior vitreous detachment, which can be a risk factor for presenting a retinal detachment.
Patients with pathological myopia have poor far vision, maintaining their near vision as long as there is no involvement of the macular area.
Patients may witness floaters and light flashes, this may be caused by early posterior vitreous detachment.
It is important that these patients go to the ophthalmologist once a year to be examined under pupillary dilation to do a detailed fundus examination.
This condition is complicated mainly by the growth of the back of the eye such as the neovascular membranes, retinal foramen and retinal detachment.
In addition to the complications already mentioned, this type of patient may present glaucoma and the appearance of cataracts early.
