Myopia (short-sightedness) is a refractive error where the patient finds it difficult to see objects that are far away as the image is focussed in front of the retina instead of at the retina. When the myopia is severe (with many dioptres), it is called high myopia. In these patients, the length of the eye is significantly greater which, in addition to causing blurred vision, can result in a series of related issues.
In patients with high myopia, regular check-ups of the eye fundus are very important as the retina is usually more succeptible to retinal tears and retinal detachment and neovascular membranes, among other entities.
If any of these conditions are detected, they can usually be acted on through these procedures if necessary:
Laser photocoagulation is an argon laser treatment directed at the affected part of the retina to coagulate damaged blood vessels, repair any tears and destroy abnormal tissues.
A vitrectomy is a type of eye surgery in which the vitreous humour inside the eye (where the opacities or floaters are) is replaced with a sterile saline solution. It is an invasive procedure that is not risk free.
Intravitreal injections are given in order to inject medication inside the eyeball.
PREVENT THE INCREASE
Health organisations are currently considering myopia as an “epidemic” that is on the rise, so a huge amount of effort is being invested into trying to slow its progress.
Methods to manage myopia have been developed in order to deal with this issue at an early stage of life. Applying these therapies does not prevent myopia from appearing, but from reaching such high levels.
In patients with high myopia, the prescription is usually too high to use isolated laser techniques, usually requiring phakic intraocular lenses (ICL). However, it is important to highlight that the combination of both techniques is a possibility in many cases.
LASER PROCEDURES
In cases where an excimer laser is applied, the personalised Wavefront TM system can be used (guided by wavefront) which lowers the risks of complications, preventing the induction of high-order aberrations.
ICL LENSES
ICL lenses, also known as implantable collamer lenses (biocompatible material) are implanted between the iris and the lens. They help to correct more common vision defects, such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. These lenses are designed and adapted specifically for each eye and individual. Implantation is very simple and vision recovery is quick. They enable us to correct the refractive error while keeping the lens and without altering the cornea.
PIONEERS IN EYE SURGERY
At CLÍNICA RAHHAL, we have state-of-the-art technological equipment which, combined with our teamwork, ensures the best results.
“I have been going to Rahhal for many years with my entire family because of the quality of the service and the family-friendly atmosphere that the whole team provides”.
Fernando Alcañiz.
“Besides his professionalism, you can see that Dr Rahhal enjoys his work and is happy doing it. I went to him for an initial consultation and have never thought about going to another clinic. I am truly delighted”.
Lourdes García.
“I have been a patient for some time and I am delighted with them. The staff are attentive and very professional, and the facilities are excellent. Highly recommended!”
Esther Herranz.
WE FINANCE YOUR TREATMENT
TO MAKE LIFE EASIER
At CLÍNICA RAHHAL, we don’t want you to have to break the bank to be able to see; we want to ensure our patients can afford our treatments.
FAQs
Select one of the following frequently-asked questions from our patients to show the answer. If you cannot find the answer to your question, please contact us using the form below.
High myopia is considered a disorder in itself as it goes much further than needing to wear glasses. Eyes which have a significant myopic prescription have a high axial length, which means that the eyes are bigger than normal. As such, certain structures of the eye, such as the retina and the vitreous, are affected and more susceptible to pathologies such as retinal detachment or the formation of neovascular membranes.
Once myopia has developed, the recommended course of action is to attend frequent ophthalmic check-ups to monitor its progress and to act swiftly if there is any complication before it leads to serious consequences.
No. Refractive surgery (designed to remove dependence on glasses or lenses using laser treatments or intraocular lenses) prevents the need to use vision correction methods, thus improving quality of life, but it does not change the length of the eye, i.e., it does not act on the vitreous and the retina, which are the structures that are most affected as a result of pathological or high myopia.
Yes, high myopia has a significant hereditary component, with several members of the same family often suffering from it.
Since high myopia (above six diopters) can lead to significant disorders as an adult, especially vitreous-retinal disorders, it is vital to prevent or slow its progression at the early stages of life. To do so, various treatments are available which are aimed at slowing or at least minimising the growth of the myopia in children where the annual increase is very significant and there is a history of high myopia in the family. By using certain eyedrops or contact lenses, we can do this with very satisfactory results. The department of myopia management is a priority at Clínica Rahhal.
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