Clinical Features in High Myopia: A 30-Year Follow-up of a Representative Sample

Summary

Twenty-nine persons with unilateral or bilateral high myopia, all born in 1948, have been followed over a period of more than 30 years, with regular follow-ups at intervals of 10 years. During the last decade only minor changes occurred in refractive error and optical components. In 1984 seven had experienced a moderate reduction in visual acuity, mainly in one eye. At the age of 47 years there was a further decline in visual acuity, in both eyes in 5 subjects and in one eye in 11. Significant complications (other than central retinal) appeared in 4 subjects: one case of unilateral retinal detachment with unsuccessful surgery, two cases of pigmentary glaucoma, and one case of bilateral cataract. The study includes fundus photographs taken each decade since the age of 16. Some characteristic posterior pole changes were recorded, but with the above exceptions, visual acuity remained stable during the follow-up period.