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Bringing you the best health advice for your family

NHS Choices - Eye conditions associated with short-sightedness

(29/11/2013)

If you have severe short-sightedness (high degree myopia), you are more likely to develop other eye disorders later in life.

For example, you may also have:

glaucoma
cataracts
retinal detachment
macular degeneration

These are described below.

Glaucoma

If you are short-sighted, your risk of developing glaucoma is increased. This is where increased pressure inside your eye can lead to a loss of peripheral vision (the outer edge of your field of vision).

Glaucoma develops very slowly and has no noticeable symptoms in the early stages. You should therefore have regular eye tests to help identify problems at an early stage. This is particularly important for people who are over 40 years of age.

Cataracts

Cataracts are cloudy patches that develop in the lens of the eye, making your vision blurred or misty. They can develop in one or both eyes, with one eye often more affected than the other.

Over time, the cloudy patches become bigger and more of them develop. As less light is able to pass through the lens, your vision will become blurry or cloudy. The cloudier the lens becomes, the more your vision will be affected.

Read more about cataracts and cataract surgery.

Retinal detachment

If you are short-sighted, your chances of developing retinal detachment are also increased.

This is where the light-sensitive lining at the back of the eye (retina) starts to peel away from the deeper layers of eye tissue. If left untreated, retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss.

Macular degeneration

In cases of severe short-sightedness, the central part of the retina (macula) can become damaged. This is known as macular degeneration and it can lead to permanent poor vision for reading and close work. It usually develops in older age.

Health Advice