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Is Myopia Hereditary?

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Posted on Tue, 21 Jul 2015
Question: If a boy has -7.5 power in both eyes and a girl has -2 and -10 power in both eyes. If they marry what will happen to kids? Should they get married at all?
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Answered by Dr. Dadapeer K (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
This should not cause any major problem.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to Health care Magic.

I reviewed your history.
I can understand your concerns.

There are two types of myopia, simple and pathological.
Simple myopia is not inherited and it is not transferred from parents to children, whereas pathological myopia is inherited and can be transferred from parents to children.

If both the parents are having pathological myopia then there are chances that children may develop pathological myopia.
If one of the parent is having the chances are less.

The question of children getting this problem occurs only in case of pathological myopia and not in case of simple myopia.

To call Myopia as pathological the prerequisites are pathological changes like increase in the axial length of the eyeball, retinal changes like retinal thinning, no improvement in vision with spectacles or contact lenses or lasik...

This problem arises when the refractive power is usually more than -16 dioptres and vision cannot be improved with spectacles or contact lenses or by lasik surgery.

If the vision is getting is improved with spectacles or contact lenses or by lasik surgery completely then it is not likely to be pathological myopia and it is not likely to be inherited to children.


Since in this case this is unlikely to be pathological myopia I feel there should not be any problem. If at all it can cause similar myopia in children and this can be corrected hence no need to be worried.

Hope the information is helpful to you.

Do write back to me for further questions.


Thank you
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dadapeer K

Ophthalmologist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 5709 Questions

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Is Myopia Hereditary?

Brief Answer: This should not cause any major problem. Detailed Answer: Hello Welcome to Health care Magic. I reviewed your history. I can understand your concerns. There are two types of myopia, simple and pathological. Simple myopia is not inherited and it is not transferred from parents to children, whereas pathological myopia is inherited and can be transferred from parents to children. If both the parents are having pathological myopia then there are chances that children may develop pathological myopia. If one of the parent is having the chances are less. The question of children getting this problem occurs only in case of pathological myopia and not in case of simple myopia. To call Myopia as pathological the prerequisites are pathological changes like increase in the axial length of the eyeball, retinal changes like retinal thinning, no improvement in vision with spectacles or contact lenses or lasik... This problem arises when the refractive power is usually more than -16 dioptres and vision cannot be improved with spectacles or contact lenses or by lasik surgery. If the vision is getting is improved with spectacles or contact lenses or by lasik surgery completely then it is not likely to be pathological myopia and it is not likely to be inherited to children. Since in this case this is unlikely to be pathological myopia I feel there should not be any problem. If at all it can cause similar myopia in children and this can be corrected hence no need to be worried. Hope the information is helpful to you. Do write back to me for further questions. Thank you With regards