Have You Been Diagnosed with Myopic Macular Degeneration? What You Should Know
Posted on: 20 January 2017
When most people think about vision diseases like macular degeneration, they are thinking about age-related eye diseases that affect people late in life. However, there are some forms of these eye issues that can and do occur when people are younger. If you are in your thirties or forties and have been diagnosed with myopic macular degeneration by an ophthalmologist, you may be understandably shocked. In order to properly deal with your eye condition, get to know some of the important facts about myopic macular degeneration and what you can and should do to properly deal with your newfound myopic macular degeneration.
Myopic Macular Degeneration Is Related to Nearsightedness
Many people have vision trouble throughout their lives. One of the most common eye issues a person might experience is nearsightedness. Being nearsighted means that it is difficult to see objects that are not very close to the eyes. The medical term for nearsightedness is myopia. Thus, myopic macular degeneration is a form of macular degeneration that occurs in a person who is nearsighted.
Myopic Macular Degeneration Can Be Genetic or Inherited
Myopic macular degeneration is a rare eye condition. It occurs only in a small percentage of people diagnosed with myopia. Oftentimes, myopic macular degeneration is inherited genetically from a parent that suffers from the same condition or that is a carrier of the condition. If you have a parent who began to struggle with vision loss and macular degeneration at a very young age, this may be indicative of a genetic inheritance of the condition.
Myopic Macular Degeneration Is Treatable but Not Curable
As of yet, there is no known cure for myopic macular degeneration. However, this does not mean that you are going to lose your sight tomorrow, nor does it mean that there are no ways to treat the condition. There are treatments available through your ophthalmologist to slow the progression of the vision loss related to myopic macular degeneration.
One of the treatment options available for myopic macular degeneration is known as anti-VEGF drugs. These medications are designed to slow or stop the growth of fragile blood vessels in the eye that grow as a result of the condition. Anti-VEGF drugs are administered via injection by an ophthalmologist on a regular basis to help maintain control over blood-vessel growth and leakage.
Surgery is also sometimes an option for myopic macular degeneration to attempt to control the stretching of the eye that occurs due to myopia and to provide better support to the eyes. However, few patients opt for these surgeries because they are only temporarily effective with the progressive condition.
Now that you better understand your myopic macular degeneration and the treatment options currently available, you can better handle and manage your eye condition. You will also want to keep in close contact with your ophthalmologist about any changes in your vision as well as to discuss potential clinical trials and new treatments as they become available. Make an appointment with an office such as Dixie Ophthalmic Specialists at Zion Eye Institute to learn more.
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