Glaucoma is a sight-threatening condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide. It’s characterized by an abnormally high pressure in your eyes that slowly damages your eye’s optic nerve. As a result, it interrupts the transfer of image signals to your brain.
What makes glaucoma more alarming is that it doesn’t usually show any symptoms, which is why it’s popularly known as the “silent thief of sight.” Recently, ophthalmologists found that having myopia adds to the difficulties of detecting this problem. Your trusted myopia control specialists from Myopia Institute discusses this in detail.
Identifying Glaucoma
Being an asymptomatic condition that may rob you of your sense of sight, detecting glaucoma should be a priority. The best way to diagnose this condition is through a complete eye exam that includes a glaucoma screening. This may include measuring your corneal thickness.
Your optometrist may also inspect your eyes’ drainage channels for any irregularities. We’ll measure your intraocular pressure (IOP) too through a tonometry test. If the values are beyond the normal range of 12-22 mmHg, this may indicate glaucoma. Lastly, we’ll examine your optic nerve for any signs of damage.
Myopia’s Role in Your Risk of Having Glaucoma
Your eye care specialists may have a hard time assessing the optic disc of individuals with high myopia. The optic disc is the raised part of your retina where the optic nerve enters. This may also make it difficult to check the optic nerve for any problems. Experts also found that severe nearsightedness creates a glaucoma-like appearance that may confuse your eye doctors even with the aid of an imaging device.
Your eye doctor adds that having myopia itself is a risk factor for glaucoma, making this refractive error a double-edged problem. Studies reveal that you’re twice as likely to have glaucoma if you’re nearsighted. As your myopia gets worse, retinal nerve fiber layers and macular thickness change too, putting you at risk of having glaucoma. Severe nearsightedness may also cause segmentation errors during macular imaging, making it difficult to accurately diagnose glaucoma.
For more information about how myopia affects your risk of having glaucoma, contact a myopia control specialist near you today. We’re ready to help you.