Recent advances in pathological myopia

Abstract

Pathological myopia has become the leading cause of blindness in Chinese. Typical fundus changing of pathological myopia includes fundus tessellation, lacquer cracks, diffuse chorioretinal atrophy, patchy chorioretinal atrophy, choroidal neovascularization, macular atrophy, and posterior scleral staphyloma. Posterior staphyloma and eye deformity are important causes of developing vision-threatening complications. Monitoring the parapapillary, chorioretinal atrophic lesions or lacquer cracks is of great significance as an early assessment method of pathological myopia. Environmental factors such as increased educational pressure and near work are the main pathogenic factors. Local atropine therapy and increased outdoor activity time are effective prevention method. For patients with high myopia, posterior scleral reinforcement and scleral collagen cross-linking are possible and effective means to delay progression. (Int Rev Ophthalmol, 2019, 43: 8-13) Key words: myopia; pathogenesis; prevention