Condition · 3 treatment paths
Myopia (Severe)
Severe myopia, or high short-sightedness, is a strong negative glasses prescription, usually stronger than minus six dioptres, that blurs distance vision. It affects children and adults and increases the risk of eye complications.
Send your imaging + plan. Board-reviewed opinion in 5–10 working days.
- Treatment paths
- 3Treatment paths
- Specialties
- 1Specialties
- Typical severity
- ModerateTypical severity
About myopia (severe)
What to know
Distance objects look blurred while near vision is clear, and glasses are thick. High myopia raises the risk of retinal tears and detachment, glaucoma, early cataract and myopic macular degeneration, so regular dilated retinal checks matter. Diagnosis is by refraction and eye measurements, including corneal thickness and mapping.
Glasses and contact lenses are the first choice. In children, atropine drops, special lenses and outdoor time can slow progression. Adults with a stable prescription can consider laser vision correction, such as SMILE or femto-LASIK, if the cornea is thick enough, or an implantable contact lens (ICL) for very high prescriptions or thin corneas. Laser or lens surgery does not remove the retinal risks, so checks continue.
Pre-flight workup
Tests to have already done
- A recent stable glasses prescription, ideally unchanged for at least a year, and your older prescriptions.
- Corneal topography or tomography and thickness measurement, which decide whether laser is safe.
- Dilated retinal examination, because high myopia raises the risk of retinal tears and detachment.
- Pupil size, eye pressure and anterior chamber depth measurements, particularly if an implantable lens is considered.
- A note on contact lens use: soft lenses are usually stopped for a week or two, and hard ones for longer, before testing.
Second opinion
When to get a second look
- You have been told laser surgery is unsuitable because of thin corneas, and want to discuss an implantable lens.
- Your prescription is still changing, particularly if you are under 21.
- You have a family history of keratoconus or retinal detachment.
- You have been advised on a procedure that would leave a thin corneal bed.
Talking to your doctor
Questions to ask
- Is my prescription stable, and do my corneas allow laser surgery safely?
- Would SMILE, femto-LASIK or an implantable contact lens suit me best, and why?
- What level of correction can I realistically expect, and will I need glasses afterwards?
- What are the risks of dry eyes, night glare and halos?
- Do I need extra retinal checks because of my high myopia?
- What happens when I develop presbyopia or cataract later?
Outlook
Realistic prognosis
Most patients with severe myopia achieve good unaided distance vision after laser or implantable lens surgery, though high prescriptions have a higher chance of residual correction or regression. Surgery corrects focusing but does not remove the higher lifetime risk of retinal problems, so regular retinal checks are still needed.
01 · Specialties
Specialties that treat Myopia
Diagnostic workup
Before you pick a hospital, get the workup right
Picking the right treatment is downstream of a complete diagnosis. Skip steps here and the destination surgeon usually re-orders them anyway — at higher cost and another week on the ground.
- Confirm the diagnosis on imaging or labs
For myopia (severe), plan on the workup your home doctor would order anyway — typically a recent specialist consult plus the imaging / labs the destination team will need to quote accurately. Anything older than 90 days usually gets re-done.
- See a ophthalmology specialist locally first
An in-person clinical exam at home — even a single consult — costs little and dramatically improves the destination plan. Bring back: written impression, recommended procedure, surgical-risk class, and any contra-indications.
- Send us the file for a free second opinion
Two surgeons in our medical panel review the workup independently. They tell you whether they'd operate, watch, or refer — even if that means recommending against travel.
- Pick a path with timeline + cost in writing
Once a treatment is the right call, we line up 2–3 hospital options with itemized quotes, surgeon profiles, and a travel timeline. You hold the file — switch hospitals or step away at any point.
Where to be treated
Myopia (Severe) treatment by destination
04 · FAQ
Common questions about myopia (severe)
Is laser eye surgery safe for high myopia?
It can be if your corneas are thick enough, but very high prescriptions may leave too little corneal tissue. An implantable lens is then an option.
Will my myopia come back?
Some regression can occur, especially with high corrections. If the eye keeps lengthening, the prescription can change again.
Can I fly soon after eye surgery?
Often after a few days for laser or lens procedures, once your surgeon clears you. Ask specifically.
Clinical context
Working up myopia (severe) properly
A condition like myopia (severe) is rarely well-served by jumping straight to treatment shopping. The sequence below is what a ophthalmology specialist would expect to see completed — and the absence of any step is the right cue to delay travel decisions.
Diagnostic workup, in sequence
- First-line clinical assessment
History, physical exam, and risk-factor review by a senior generalist or ophthalmology specialist. Symptoms list, family history, prior workup notes, and current medication list should travel with the patient.
- Standard imaging + labs
Baseline blood work, condition-specific imaging (ultrasound / X-ray / MRI / CT — depending on indication), and ECG / pulmonary function as relevant. Bring digital copies of any prior imaging — saves repeat scans and the cost that goes with them.
- Specialist diagnostic workup
Procedure-specific tests — biopsy, cardiac catheterisation, endoscopy, or genetic / molecular profiling depending on the suspected diagnosis. Done at the centre that will treat, ideally, so results integrate cleanly into the treatment plan.
- Multidisciplinary review (where indicated)
Cancer, complex cardiac, transplant, and rare-disease cases should be reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel — surgical, medical, imaging, and pathology — before any treatment commits. Single-discipline plans for complex disease are a quality red flag.
When to escalate to specialist review
- New, persistent, or worsening symptoms beyond the usual pattern — particularly anything that disrupts work, sleep, or daily function for >2 weeks.
- Symptoms accompanied by red-flag features (unintentional weight loss, night sweats, bleeding, severe pain, neurological signs).
- Any "this feels different" instinct — especially with recurrent or chronic conditions where you know your baseline well.
- A second-opinion misalignment with your current care plan — when two qualified clinicians disagree, the case warrants a third review before committing.
Before you book international travel
- Confirm your specific diagnosis is fully worked up before you commit to a treatment plan abroad. Travelling for the workup is fine; travelling for treatment without the workup done is not.
- Get your case reviewed remotely by the destination centre's team before you book flights — credible international patient programs review imaging + reports before they confirm the surgical plan.
- Bring a digital + physical copy of your full medical record: imaging on USB drive in DICOM format, labs in PDF, current medication list with dosages, allergies, and any prior surgical reports.
- Plan for the post-op rehabilitation phase before you fly — the surgery itself is rarely the bottleneck.
- Confirm that follow-up imaging and any necessary in-person reviews can be done at home — a treatment plan that requires repeat international trips is more burdensome (and more expensive) than the headline procedure.
Mbinu na viwango vya uhariri
This myopia (severe) overview is written by the editorial team from published Ophthalmology sources and lists 3 treatment options offered by hospitals on our network. The page shows its last-updated date. Clinical descriptions are editorial — your treating clinician confirms what's right for your specific case.
- Taarifa za hospitali. Maelezo ya hospitali yanakusanywa kutoka vyanzo vya umma na tovuti za hospitali. Uidhinishaji (JCI, NABH na mengine) huonyeshwa pale tulipo na rekodi. Daima omba hospitali cheti chake cha sasa.
- Sifa za madaktari. Sifa, utaalamu na wasifu hutoka wasifu wa daktari hospitalini. Leseni hukaguliwa kwenye rejista ya baraza la kitaifa la madaktari tu pale wasifu unapoonyesha alama ya "Leseni imehakikiwa" yenye tarehe.
- Bei. Viwango vya bei ni vya kukadiria, vimekusanywa kutoka orodha za bei na vifurushi vya hospitali na huonyeshwa na tarehe ya mwisho ya kusasishwa. Unacholipa ni kile kilichoandikwa kwenye nukuu ya hospitali.
- Maandishi ya kitabibu. Imeandikwa na timu ya wahariri ya Medcasts kutoka vyanzo vya kliniki vilivyochapishwa. Isipokuwa ukurasa umetaja mhakiki kwa jina, haujakaguliwa na daktari.
- Uhuru. Hospitali haziwezi kulipa ili kubadilisha nafasi yao kwenye kurasa zetu.
Myopia (Severe)
Continue evaluating myopia (severe) care
Condition overview is one entry. These hubs route the same care decision via specialty, surgeon, treatment, and destination — including the doctors actively treating myopia (severe).
- Surgeons Doctors treating Myopia (Severe) Volume-ranked specialists across all relevant specialties.
- Specialty Ophthalmology hub Programs, surgeons, hospitals across ophthalmology.
- Procedure SMILE Laser Eye Surgery First-line treatment with success rates, recovery, hospital pricing.
- Procedure Femto-LASIK Alternative treatment path with cost and recovery data.
- Browse All 79 conditions Map condition → specialty → first-line treatment.
- Browse 9 destination countries Cost-of-care profiles, hospital programs, visa playbooks.
- Compare Hospital comparison Side-by-side accreditations, ratings, beds, and pricing.
- Compare Doctor comparison Surgeons compared on volume, fees, languages, video-consult availability.
- Tool Match-me triage Three questions, get a specialty + destination + 3-hospital shortlist.
- Tool Cost calculator Hospital-reported pricing across procedures × destinations.
- Action Free second opinion Independent panel review of your case in 48 hours — no charge.
Hatua inayofuata · Myopia (Severe)
Free second opinion on your Myopia case.
Share imaging and the current plan. Multidisciplinary board returns a written opinion within 5–10 working days — no obligation to travel.