Patients With Pathological Myopia Can Regain Visual Acuity
When you look at something in the distance, have you noticed quick flashes of light? Is your vision persistently blurry or does it seem like it’s slowly getting worse? It may be more than standard nearsightedness, it could be a condition called Pathological Myopia.
What Is Pathological Myopia?
Myopia, or nearsightedness, is one of the most common refractive errors. It’s caused by a misshapen cornea. The cornea is usually round-shaped, so when it has an irregular shape, a light that enters your eye bends (refracts) incorrectly, causing you to have blurry vision.
There are varying degrees of myopia. Pathological myopia is the most severe kind. Over time, it can change the shape of your eye, causing a gradual loss of vision.
What Causes Pathological Myopia?
The exact cause of pathological myopia isn’t really known. What optometrists do know is that pathological myopia causes the eyeball to be longer than normal, which makes the retina thin out. It’s an extreme form of myopia and can’t be corrected with glasses or contact lenses.
Family history and sex may play a role, too. If a parent has pathological myopia, it’s likely that their child can develop it. Studies show that female patients seem to be at a higher risk than males of developing pathological myopia.
Pathological Myopia and Low Vision
A loss of visual acuity means that you or your child’s vision will worsen over time, affecting your daily life. Coping with pathological myopia means getting the right help now. Dr. Harold Ashcraft can recommend a number of low vision glasses and devices to optimize your or your child’s remaining vision.
How We Can Help
Pathological myopia is particularly challenging for children. Because the condition is progressive, it makes school-related tasks like reading comprehension, homework, even athletics, a struggle. That’s where a low vision eye doctor can help.
Using a combination of low vision glasses and devices, Dr. Harold Ashcraft can help maximize your child’s vision, even if they have pathological myopia. You can read more about the low vision aids and devices we offer here.
At the The Low Vision Center at Family Eyecare Center of Optometry, our goal is to slow down the deterioration of your visual acuity and optimize your remaining vision for everyday activities like reading, writing, using a computer, playing sports, and social functions. We help patients from all over the Los Angeles, Westchester, Inglewood, and Playa Del Rey areas.
Recovering Vision Loss Due to Pathological Myopia
Low vision magnifiers can enlarge text and images so that you can see them in more detail. Things that were blurry or cloudy can become clear and sharp. Telescopic glasses can also enlarge images, and they sit on top of regular glasses. You can watch a baseball game or movie, play computer games, and more.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for pathological myopia, but there is hope…with the right kind of help.
Early Diagnosis Is Key
Pathological myopia is about more than just very blurry vision. It’s a serious medical condition that can cause other eye conditions like glaucoma or early-onset cataracts. That’s why an early diagnosis is so important. The sooner we can manage the condition, the better.
Let us help enhance your remaining vision, so that you can get back to doing the things you enjoy. Schedule a consultation with the The Low Vision Center at Family Eyecare Center of Optometry today.