Choroidal thickness and visual acuity in highly myopic eyes

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Imaging
• Myopia Research

Background:

• High myopia (≥6 diopters) presents significant visual acuity challenges.
• Understanding factors influencing vision in myopia is crucial due to its rising prevalence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify predictive factors for visual acuity in individuals with high myopia.
• To investigate the relationship between ocular measurements and visual outcomes in high myopic eyes.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated consecutive patients with high myopia (≥6 D) across two international retina centers.
• Utilized enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography to measure subfoveal choroidal thickness.
• Employed generalized estimating equation models to determine visual acuity predictors.

Main Results:

• Subfoveal choroidal thickness inversely correlated with age and myopic refractive error in both cohorts.
• Subfoveal choroidal thickness was a significant inverse predictor of visual acuity (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution).
• Clinic location did not emerge as a significant predictor of visual acuity.

Conclusions:

• Subfoveal choroidal thickness is an important predictor of visual acuity in high myopia.
• Findings suggest potential epidemiologic significance given the global increase in myopia.
• Ocular measurements, particularly choroidal thickness, are vital for assessing visual prognosis in high myopia.