Is it myopic macular degeneration?

[magda607]

Hi!

I'm highly myopic and worried about my right eye. I have around -10D in both eyes (left one is a little more myopic) and around 5D of astigmatism. While my left eye reads 20/25, my right one copes only with 20/40. I had OCT done, everything was ok, my retina has thickness within the normal range and during dilated eye exam doctors tell me my retina looks really healthy for this high myopia. So why my right eye doesn't read as good as the left one? Additionally I often have this weird feeling that my right eye is somehow covered and I don't feel like I was using it at all.
Are these early signs of MMS? Are there any tests that could give me an answer?

I would really appreciate any advice!

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I can't make any judgments from this information and suggest you contact your ophthalmologist
JCH MD

[sipar82]

I have tried the Amsler Grid as well, I am only diagnosed with degenerative myopia (-6.50D in the right eye and -6.75 in the left eye) on top of an astigmatism and 3 cataracts. I also took an online Macular Mapping Test.

The Amsler Grid test is distorted for me in the mid to lower right and the mid to lower left peripheral. And I found that staring at the grid and doing the Macular Mapping Test the images start to fade and mesh together. Also according to the Macular Mapping Test I have blind spots in my central vision. Could this all just be a result of the 3 cataracts? Or signs of something more?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

You should call your ophthalmologist tomorrow and report your findings. For patients with dry/wet/myopic macular degeneration that have had a recent evaluation one or both amsler grilds may be abnormal. In that case a WORSENING of an already abnormal amsler is the danger sign, for people with these diseases or normal maculas who initially have normal amslers then and box, curve, distortion or missing area is cause for concern.

BTW there is an excellent Phone free ap to test central, color and amsler on your phone. It's called Eye Hand Book or EHB.  Fantastic ap.

JCH MD

[srilatha37]

Hi Dr John,

I am 37 years old, highly myopic -14d. I recently a week ago  had my annual check up.
They took optos,fundus and some other pictures. I mentioned about the wavy lines(star) i was seeing when they took the pic, So my dr looked at the picture and asked me to check the AMSLER grid everyday and call if i see any changes. With AMSLER GRID I see way lines in my left eye. Should I be concerned ? should i wait to see if it gets worse (or) call the DR now.
Thankyou
sheela

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

A physicial exam by a highly trained Eye MD using either FA or OCT can exclude MMD now but not in the future.  I could not give you an estimate of your chance of developing MMD. There probably are studies "out there" that you could find using standard internet search techniques.

Suffice it to say the odds are much much higher that you won't develop MMD and if it does develop with VEGF injections (lucentis, Avastin, Eyelea) we can treat it much much better than a generation ago.

JCH MD

[Amar_Coodly]

Hi Dr. John,

I am having a high myopia of -8 D. I am scared of MMD. I discussed this with my doctor and he rules out any possibilities of MMD with -8D. I had a small lattice degeneration which was lasered.

My question is am I prone to risk of MMD with this power. If so than how much time you think roughly I have before my vision gets disturbed.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Not likely at all.
JCH MD

[magda607]

Thank you for the answer dr Hagan!

I misspelled and wrote "MMS" instead of "MMD". I'm worried that my right eye's weakness is caused by some early stage of Myopic Macular Degeneration that didn't show on OCT and dilated eye exam. Is this a possibility?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

I don't know what you mean by MMS.   Paired organs often are not perfectly identical. Most people hear better out of one ear, are stronger in one arm than the other and most have a dominant eye.  With high myopia often one eye sees better than the other and this may represent a form of "refractive amblyopia"

there are many informative discussions of progressive pathologic myopia you can access with search feature and archives.

JCH MD