Long-term changes in refractive error in children with myopic tilted optic disc compared to children without tilted...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Optometry
• Myopia Research

Background:

• Myopic tilted optic discs are observed in some children with myopia.
• The impact of myopic disc tilt on myopia progression is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare refractive error changes in children with and without myopic tilted optic discs.
• To identify factors influencing myopia progression in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• Compared spherical equivalent (SE) refractive error changes in two groups of children: one with myopic tilted discs (n=88) and a matched control group without tilted discs (n=108).
• Analyzed influencing factors using mixed models.
• Follow-up duration averaged 5.3 years for both groups.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed a tendency towards myopic progression.
• Children with myopic tilted discs exhibited significantly greater myopic progression compared to those without tilted discs (P < 0.001).
• Poorer baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and tilted discs were associated with increased myopia over time.

Conclusions:

• Myopic disc tilt is associated with greater myopia progression in children.
• Myopic disc tilt may serve as a prognostic factor for future myopia development.
• Further prospective studies are needed to clarify the direct causal relationship between disc tilt and myopia progression.