If I do myopia surgery now, will it have any impact when I get older?

28-year-old Xiao Xu (pseudonym) lives in Wuchang. He has been wearing glasses since he was 12 years old. Because of the intense study in junior high and high school, he often stayed up late to review, and the degree of myopia in both eyes increased significantly every year. After graduating from university, Xiao Xu's myopia in both eyes has reached more than 700 degrees. During this year's National Day, Xiao Xu was arranged by his family to go on various blind dates, but the women rejected him on the grounds of myopia. After experiencing this incident, Xiao Xu made up his mind to take off the thick glasses on his nose, so he came to the Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University for treatment.

After examination, Xiao Xu's eyes met the surgical conditions and could undergo myopia surgery. "Doctor, I have always wanted to take off my glasses, but I heard that if you have myopia surgery when you are young, you can't have surgery again if you get other eye diseases when you are older. Is this true?" he asked.

She Chunyan, attending physician of the refractive department of Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University, said: There are currently two main types of myopia surgery, myopia laser surgery and ICL lens implantation surgery. In principle, these two myopia surgeries are surgeries on the front part of the eye, and theoretically will not involve the retina and other structures behind the eye. Common eye diseases that may occur when we get older, such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, etc., are eye diseases caused by other reasons. Myopia surgery will neither cause these eye diseases nor prevent their occurrence.

Which tissues of the eye are changed by myopia surgery?

Myopia laser surgery uses laser to cut corneal tissue to adjust the corneal refractive power and offset the vision problems caused by the elongated eye axis. ICL lens implantation does not "cut" corneal tissue, but makes a small incision at the edge of the cornea and implants the ICL lens between the iris and the lens. In short, a special contact lens is implanted in the eye to correct vision problems.

If I had myopia surgery when I was young, will it have any impact when I get older?

Some people think that after having myopia surgery, they are more likely to suffer from eye diseases such as presbyopia and cataracts when they are old. This is actually wrong. Presbyopia and cataracts are degenerative changes in the eyes that occur when people reach a certain age. Therefore, myopia surgery will not cause such eye diseases.

It should be pointed out that having myopia surgery when you are young does not affect other eye diseases surgery in old age. Myopia laser surgery corrects vision by appropriately cutting the corneal tissue with laser. The surgical site is on the cornea and does not touch other tissues inside the eyeball, nor does it change the internal tissues and structures of the eyeball. ICL lens implantation is equivalent to implanting a special contact lens into the eye. It is also a surgery on the anterior segment of the eye and will not have a special effect on the eyes. In addition, because ICL lens implantation is reversible, the lens can be taken out again if there is a special need.

Zhang Qingsong, deputy chief physician, head of the refractive group of Aier Eye Hospital Group in Hubei Province, and director of the refractive department of Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University, reminded that having myopia surgery when you are young will not affect other eye diseases when you are older. Friends who need to remove their glasses for surgery must go to a regular medical institution for a preoperative examination, and choose the surgical procedure based on the examination results and comprehensive considerations and after listening to the doctor's advice.