Potential Negative Feedback between Age and Baseline Axial Length on Axial Elongation in High Myopia

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Genetics
• Biometry

Background:

• High myopia is a significant risk factor for vision impairment.
• Understanding axial elongation is crucial for managing myopia progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate axial elongation in highly myopic eyes.
• To assess the influence of age, sex, baseline axial length (AL), cataract surgery (CS), pathologic myopia (PM), intraocular pressure (IOP), and genetic risk scores (GRSs) on axial elongation.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study of 614 eyes from 367 individuals with high myopia.
• Analysis of axial elongation rates and their associations with various clinical and genetic factors.
• Evaluation of the predictive utility of genetic risk scores (GRSs) in myopia progression.

Main Results:

• The average axial elongation rate was 0.031 mm/year.
• Axial elongation increased with age and baseline AL but decreased with cataract surgery (CS).
• Genetic risk scores (GRSs) did not improve the predictive model for axial elongation.

Conclusions:

• Axial elongation persists in highly myopic eyes but slows with age and baseline AL.
• Cataract surgery is associated with slower axial elongation.
• Genetic factors have limited predictive utility for adult axial elongation, suggesting a need for further research into genetic and environmental determinants.