Choroidal thickness and high myopia: a cross-sectional study and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Retinal Research

Background:

• High myopia is a significant global health concern.
• Choroidal thickness is a key indicator of ocular health.
• Understanding choroidal changes in high myopia is crucial for early detection and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate choroidal thickness in high myopia using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).
• To compare macular choroidal thickness between high myopic and healthy eyes.
• To analyze associations between choroidal thickness and clinical factors, including axial length and presence of lacquer cracks or choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study and meta-analysis.
• EDI-OCT for measuring macular choroidal thickness in high myopic and control eyes.
• Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses to assess clinical factor associations.
• Subgroup analysis for eyes with and without lacquer cracks and CNV.
• Meta-analysis conducted using Stata software.

Main Results:

• High myopic eyes exhibited significantly thinner choroids across all macular locations compared to controls (P < 0.001).
• Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) was not independently associated with high myopia diagnosis in multivariate analysis.
• Eyes with CNV and lacquer cracks showed significantly thinner choroids.
• Meta-analysis confirmed thinner SFCT in high myopic eyes (WMD: -116.30 μm).

Conclusions:

• High myopia, particularly in the Chinese population, is characterized by reduced choroidal thickness compared to normal eyes.
• Longer axial length (AL) may contribute to thinner choroids but is not an independent factor.
• The presence of CNV and lacquer cracks is strongly associated with thinner macular choroids in high myopia.