Optic nerve head and peripapillary morphometrics in myopic glaucoma.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Glaucoma Research

Background:

• Myopia and glaucoma are leading causes of vision impairment.
• Understanding optic nerve head morphology is crucial for diagnosing and managing glaucoma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the morphological characteristics of the optic nerve head and peripapillary region in individuals with myopia and glaucoma.
• To correlate these morphological features with axial length and glaucoma severity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a custom 1060-nm swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for high-resolution 3D imaging.
• Segmented key ocular structures including Bruch's membrane (BM) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL).
• Measured seven shape parameters and performed regression analysis with age, axial length, and glaucoma severity (Mean Deviation).

Main Results:

• Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) area, eccentricity, and planarity correlated with axial length, not glaucoma severity.
• Posterior deformation of BM was observed in all eyes, with BM closer to BMO being more posterior.
• Bruch's membrane depth and BMO depth correlated with glaucoma severity (Mean Deviation) and age.

Conclusions:

• Axial length is a significant determinant of BMO and BM shape in myopic and glaucomatous eyes.
• Posterior BM deformation is a common finding, associated with both functional glaucomatous damage and increasing age.