“Myopia favors the appearance of other eye diseases, first of all cataracts, for this reason it must always be carefully monitored.” Pasquale Troiano, director of the complex operational unit of Ophthalmology at the Fatebenefratelli Sacra Famiglia Hospital in Erba (Como), and member of the Italian Ophthalmological Society (Soi), stated this to Adnkronos Salute on the occasion of the Ecm Fad ‘Visit and myopia’ course. Myopic eye pathology from childhood to adulthood’, created with the contribution of the scientific partner Soi and in collaboration with Fielmann.
“Being itself a pathology characterized by changes in all ocular structures – explains Troiano – myopia favors the appearance of other ocular pathologies, first of all cataracts, therefore the increase in ocular pressure, i.e. glaucoma, maculopathy and retinal alterations that can lead to the onset of retinal detachment”.
Myopia changes depending on the age at which it appears, underlines the specialist. “In adults – he specifies – myopia has already played its part since it normally manifests itself in the pubertal-youthful period. If in adulthood the eye is high-myopic, obviously with time and aging it will be more subject to all a series of alterations, including cataracts, maculopathy, retinal detachment and staphyloma”, i.e. the weakening of the sclera, the external white part of the eye. “The myopia that appears after the age of 18 is different – remarks Troiano – In this case it is a disease that has a slower and less aggressive evolution compared to that which appears at pubertal age. Furthermore, it more rarely leads to alterations caused high myopia. However, this type of myopia is also a real pathology, and as such must always be carefully monitored.”
When asked why myopia is on the increase, the expert has no doubts: “Among the main causes, there is near visual involvement. Subjects who have prolonged near visual involvement and especially at close range, beyond below 30 cm, have a strong predisposition to the onset and rapid progression of myopia”. Therefore, the reading and use of devices such as PCs, smartphones and tablets are under attack.
It is possible to correct the refractive error, “however – warns Troiano – we are not able to correct myopia, i.e. the elongation of the eyeball and all the structural alterations that result from it. We are only able to correct the refractive error produced by myopia, and for that we can use glasses, contact lenses and surgery.”
As for surgery, the specialist concludes, there are “various options that must be weighed according to the characteristics of each eye. You can choose a technique with the implantation of an artificial lens without removing the natural lens, or a surgery that involves the removal of the natural lens and the implantation of an artificial lens capable of compensating for the myopic defect, but not myopia”.
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