The maximum diopters are indicators that determine whether a patient can undergo surgery or not. When these values are normal or low, it means that the visual problem can be corrected by other methods and although surgery is highly recommended for those with visual defects, it should only be performed when the ophthalmologist believes it is feasible.
In order to make this decision, the ophthalmologist must have a thorough knowledge of the medical history in the visual field and know the degree of these problems. Diopters are values that help to determine the degree of hyperopia, astigmatism or myopia of the patient, but also indicate the level of correction needed in glasses or lenses.
It is important to differentiate between diopters and visual acuity, as people tend to confuse the terms and even think they are the same. Diopter is the power of a lens that helps patients to focus on near and far objects with clarity and sharpness, while visual acuity is the patient’s ability to see their surroundings, people, images, objects.
When the patient cannot correct the visual defect with laser or intraocular surgery, it is said that he/she has reached his/her maximum diopters.
In which cases are the maximum diopters operable?
For the operation to be viable, the maximum diopters in myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism are as follows:
- Myopia: between 10 and 12 diopters.
- Hyperopia: up to 5 diopters.
- Astigmatism: there is no diopter limit.
These are approximate figures and in any case will depend on the characteristics of the patient.
Why do some people have many diopters?
There are usually two possible causes:
- Genetic component.
- The axial length of the eyeball is longer than normal, causing the retina and other parts of the eye to weaken and giving rise to axial myopia.
A person with a large number of diopters suffers from an abnormal lengthening of the eyes that can develop from childhood to age 50. The chances of suffering from associated pathologies depend on the number of diopters the patient has.
There is no specific treatment for myopia magna, although there is for the associated pathologies. The most important thing is to follow a regular check-up with the ophthalmologist so that it can be detected early and treatment can be started before it becomes irreversible.