Complications Associated With Untreated Nearsightedness

Myopic Maculopathy

Myopic maculopathy, otherwise known as myopic macular degeneration, is a condition with many of the same symptoms as age-related macular degeneration. However, it occurs at a younger age. In a nearsighted eye, the eyeball is egg-shaped rather than spherical. When light rays enter the eye, they don't focus on the retina. In patients with severe myopia, the eyeball elongates to the point that the retina begins to degenerate. The macula in particular degenerates, leading to the loss of light-sensitive cells. Individuals with this condition have thin and stretched eyeball walls. At the back of the eye, the layers may be so thin the retinal cells start to die, causing central vision to decline slowly.

Discover additional complications of untreated nearsightedness now.