Myopia Of The Eye - Causes, Symptoms, Degrees And Treatment

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Myopia of the eye

What is myopia?

Myopia is a condition characterized by abnormal refraction of the eye. In this case, the main optical focus is located between the lens and the retina of the organ of vision. Due to this, a person begins to see objects located in the distance worse. This pathology has a synonym - myopia, since a person with myopia sees much better objects that are close by.

According to statistics, myopia is a very common disease, more than 29% of the world's population suffer from it. Moreover, pathology often begins to develop in adolescence.

The vision of a person with myopia differs from the vision of a healthy person due to the fact that the light entering the eye after its refraction by the lens is projected not onto the retina, but in front of it. Due to the fact that the focal point is in front of the retina, the eye is unable to see objects in the distance. The image is blurry. However, close objects are clearly visible to him. Although if myopia progresses, then near vision begins to be impaired. It is this type that leads to serious complications and often becomes the reason that a person gets a disability. But myopia may not be progressive, this leads to the fact that vision is impaired only when looking into the distance. Then the person does not need treatment, and the correction gives good results.

Myopia symptoms

The main symptom of the disease is the difficulty in perceiving and distinguishing objects located far from a person.

However, there are also other signs that help to suspect myopia, these are:

• Constantly squinting eyes, covering eyelids with hands, while trying to peer into the distance.
• Weakness of the visual apparatus at night, which is characterized by deterioration of vision in the evening. Violation of twilight vision, this is how ophthalmologists describe this symptom.
• Widening of the palpebral fissure and mild bulging.
• Bluish tint to the sclera of the eye.
• The appearance of flies, flashes and threads before the eyes.
• Rapid fatigue of the organ of vision, even after a short work.
• Constant eye strain, permanent feeling of fatigue.
• The presence of headaches and eye pains.
• Close proximity of books and other objects in front of the eyes.
• Constant urge to rub your eyes.

If one of these symptoms or their complex manifestation is found, it is imperative to visit an ophthalmologist and check the organs of vision for the development of myopia. It is especially important to monitor growing children, as they often perceive signs of blurred vision as common and do not complain to their parents about this problem. While the treatment started on time can stop the development of the disease and prevent it from progressing.

Another insidious property of myopia is that it may not manifest itself in any way for a long time period. That is why preventive examinations by an ophthalmologist are so important.

The reasons for the development of myopia

Among the reasons leading to the development of the disease, the following can be distinguished:

• Myopia, inherited. If one or both parents had myopia, then it is likely that the disease will manifest itself in their children. Moreover, the risk of myopia is extremely high and amounts to 50%, in the event that both mother and father are sick. If only one parent is sick, then this figure decreases slightly and is 24%. When both parents are healthy, myopia occurs in a child in only 8% of cases.

• Unbalanced nutrition, which leads to the fact that the body's reserves of important elements and vitamins are depleted. In particular, this applies to magnesium, zinc, manganese, copper.
• Excessive stress on the organ of vision. Overwork leads to the fact that the mucous membranes of the eye begin to dry out, and the muscles that support it begin to degrade.
• Lack of proper physical exertion on the body, prolonged sitting, a sedentary lifestyle in general.
• Lack of correct reading and writing skills. These include: non-observance of the distance between the object at which vision is directed, prolonged work without short breaks, illiterately located lighting, improper landing, reading in a moving vehicle. Therefore, both school and professional myopia is so often observed, which forms and progresses very quickly.
• Diseases of the organs of vision such as strabismus, keratoconus, amblyopia, keratoglobus and astigmatism.
• Increased intracranial pressure.
• Hormonal disruptions in the body.
• False myopia caused by accommodation spasm and overload of her muscle often subsequently leads to the development of true myopia.
• Postponed viral, bacterial and fungal infections.
• Birth trauma.
• Postponed craniocerebral trauma.
• Poisoning of the body and injuries received during childbirth.
• Lack of correction or its illiterate implementation in case of previously diagnosed myopia.

However, despite such an abundance of reasons, the main factor affecting the formation of this pathology of vision is heredity. Therefore, if there is a similar risk, the child should be monitored by an ophthalmologist, since other factors are related to provoking reasons.

Degrees of myopia

There are three degrees of myopia, each with its own characteristics:

1. Myopia, in which the distance from the focus to the retina is no more than 3 diopters, refers to grade 1 (weak). The prognosis for recovery with this degree of myopia is favorable, but corrective treatment is required. For this, a person is shown wearing either contact lenses or custom-made glasses. Often a person does not notice that he is developing this degree of myopia, since he does not experience any pronounced discomfort.

   Learn More: Mild Myopia 1

2. Myopia 2 (medium) degree is characterized by the distance from the focus to the retina starting from 3 diopters and ending with 6. At the same time, wearing glasses is necessary for a person, since it becomes impossible to consider an object at a distant distance. In addition, additional symptoms join, for example, pain in the eyes, their increased fatigue and others, which cause a feeling of discomfort and affect the quality of life. Glasses for correcting this degree of myopia must be bifocal, that is, they must have combined lenses. At the top, it is stronger and helps to see objects in the distance. If a person is diagnosed with moderate myopia, he needs to avoid excessive physical exertion, be selective when playing sports. Young people will have to refuse to serve in the army, as they are recognized as partially fit.

   Find out more: Myopia 2 moderate

3. Myopia 3 (high) is characterized by a distance of more than 6 diopters from the retina. This condition requires mandatory supportive therapy and vision correction. Often this myopia is congenital, not acquired. If there is a predisposition to the progression of the disease, then the person receives a certain degree of visual disability. Astigmatism is common in children with congenital myopia. This degree of the disease often leads to complications, which are expressed in the pathologies of the vessels of the eyeball due to its extension. In this case, the vessels break, hemorrhages are formed, degeneration of the retina of the eye begins to develop, the lens becomes cloudy. The most serious complication is retinal detachment and complete loss of vision.

   Find out more: High Myopia 3

   As for the restrictions for people with high myopia, there are an impressive number of them. First of all, it is limiting physical activity, lifting weights, a ban on many sports. You should not dive and immerse yourself in the water, jump into it from a height, since already damaged vessels may not withstand sudden pressure drops. Before deciding to have a child, a woman with high myopia should consult a doctor. Since during childbirth there is a risk that retinal detachment will occur and complete loss of vision will occur. However, the level of risk, the presence of other indications and contraindications is determined in each case individually.

Myopia treatment

There are several ways to help correct and restore vision in myopia:

• Medical treatment. It is carried out in courses and is recommended for every patient with myopia. It is necessary to take calcium preparations, tissue therapy, for example, the introduction of aloe intramuscularly, the use of B vitamins. Drugs that improve cerebral circulation are used. These are drugs such as Piracetam, Pentoxifylline. Physical therapy courses help stop the progression of the disease.
• Correction of myopia with glasses and lenses. The strength of the lenses is selected individually in each case, glasses are made to order. What to choose - contact lenses or glasses, depends on the patient's preferences.
• Hardware treatment. For its passage, such devices are used as: an accommodation trainer, a laser with stimulation of the organ of vision, etc. The color pulse treatment is also used.
• Surgical treatment is clearly indicated when the disease progresses. Its purpose is to stop the development of the pathological process and preserve the eyesight of a person. If the myopia has reached a high degree, the lens of the eye is changed to an artificial lens.
• Laser correction of myopia. However, this procedure has contraindications, in particular: age restrictions (up to 18 years), disease progression, cataracts, glaucoma, absence of a second eye, any inflammatory diseases of the organs of vision, etc. Myopia is corrected by changing the shape of the cornea, there are several ways to achieve the goal, however the essence does not change.
• Keratoplasty is another modern method of reshaping the cornea to treat myopia. In this case, a graft is transplanted into the eye, which is located either in the cornea or under it.

Prevention of myopia

It has been established that recently myopia occurs more and more often in childhood. Therefore, it is so important to start preventing this disease from an early age.

There are several ways to prevent it:

• Maintaining a distance to the reading object of 40 cm. This will allow you to less strain your eyes, reduce the effort applied to focus the ciliary muscle.
• Compliance with breaks in visual work. Do not strain your eyes for more than 40 minutes, and the break should not be less than 10 minutes.
• Proper lighting is another measure to prevent myopia. Natural sunlight is considered optimal for work. If it is not enough, then you should definitely use artificial lamps. However, the light should not dazzle.
• It is important to ensure proper seating while working at the computer or studying. The back should not be bent, the head should be straight, reading in bed and in moving vehicles is prohibited.
• Regular eye exercises and good nutrition are equally important.
• Regular check-ups with an ophthalmologist should become a habit, especially if a person is at risk of developing myopia. Clinical examination in a local polyclinic is an excellent way to prevent many diseases, including myopia.
• It is important to protect your eyes from exposure to ultraviolet light. It can harm the organs of vision no less than insufficient lighting. The pupil in bright light constricts and is in constant tension, which can lead to the development of myopia. Therefore, it is so important to wear sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats.
• Correction of vision when detecting mild myopia. You should not give up wearing glasses or lenses, even if the person does not feel the symptoms of the disease.

Preventive and therapeutic measures, begun at an early age, will preserve vision and prevent the development of myopia.

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The author of the article: Degtyareva Marina Vitalievna, ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist