High myopia and glaucoma: the latest research
- Richard Kadri-Langford
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
A new study in the British Journal of Ophthalmology (Factors influencing glaucoma severity in highly myopic glaucoma, 2025) adds important insight into how glaucoma behaves in people with high myopia. While glaucoma is often thought of as an adult eye disease, its connection to childhood myopia matters to parents, because today’s myopic child is more likely to become a highly myopic adult—bringing higher lifetime risks.
What is glaucoma and why does myopia matter?
Glaucoma is damage to the optic nerve, often linked to eye pressure, that gradually steals vision—usually without obvious symptoms at first.
High myopia (strong short-sightedness) stretches and thins the eye. That stretching can make the optic nerve more vulnerable and can also make glaucoma harder to detect with standard tests.
What the study highlights
The researchers examined which features are linked with more severe glaucoma in highly myopic eyes. Their work reinforces that structural changes from a longer, more myopic eye and pressure-related factors can influence how severe glaucoma becomes.
It also underscores a practical challenge: high myopia can mask or mimic glaucoma on routine scans, so people with high myopia may need tailored monitoring and careful interpretation of test results.
What this means for families with a child who has myopia
Don’t panic—most children with myopia do not develop glaucoma in childhood. However, higher levels of myopia in adulthood are associated with a greater lifetime risk of glaucoma.
The best step you can take now is to slow your child’s myopia progression. Reducing the chance of reaching high myopia lowers the risk of several serious eye problems later, including glaucoma.
Other risks of high myopia you should know:
Retinal detachment: The elongated eye can make the retina more prone to tears and detachments, which can threaten sight and may need urgent surgery.
Myopic maculopathy: Degenerative changes at the central retina (macula) that can permanently affect detailed vision.
Why myopia management matters
The newest research continues to show that high myopia doesn’t just mean stronger glasses—it increases the risk of sight-threatening diseases such as glaucoma, retinal detachment, and myopic maculopathy. Starting myopia management early, monitoring progress, and sticking with proven strategies can reduce the chance your child reaches high myopia and its associated risks.
For clear, parent-friendly guidance, tools, and resources on children’s myopia, read our complete guide to myopia control.
Factors influencing glaucoma severity in highly myopic glaucoma
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