Correlation Between the Myopic Retinal Deformation and Corneal Biomechanical Characteristics Measured With the Corvis...

We previously reported that the retinal deformation due to myopia was represented by the peripapillary retinal arteries angle (PRAA). In this study, we investigated the relationship between the PRAA and biomechanical properties measured with Corvis ST (CST) tonometry.

Thirty-four normative eyes of 34 subjects who underwent CST measurement were enrolled. The PRAA was calculated from a fundus photograph. Variables related to the PRAA were identified from age, axial length, spherical equivalent refractive error, and 10 CST parameters using model selection with the second-order bias-corrected Akaike information criterion index.

The PRAA was best described with axial length (coefficient = -5.66, P < 0.0001), maximum deflection amplitude (mm; coefficient = 130.5, P = 0.0004), and deflection amplitude ratio (DA ratio) 2 mm (coefficient = -25.8, P = 0.0032), where mm was the amount of the maximum corneal apex movement and DA ratio 2 mm was the ratio between the deformation amplitudes at the apex and 2 mm away from the apex. The optimal model was significantly better than the model only with axial length (P = 0.0014, analysis of variance).

The PRAA was significantly better described with the CST parameters compared to the axial length model only; eyes with small PRAA (larger myopic retinal deformation) showed narrow and shallow maximum corneal deflection.

The Corvis ST parameters, which represents corneal biomechanical characteristics, were associated with myopic retinal deformation.