Regional variations in choroidal thickness and retinal sensitivity in highly myopic patients

Abstract

Introduction: High myopia, defined by a spherical equivalent ≥ -6 diopters or an axial length ≥ 26 mm, can increase the risk of degenerative changes. The aim of this study was to correlate central choroidal thickness (CCT) and macular retinal sensitivity (MRS) in pseudophakic patients with high myopia.

Material and Methods: Cross-sectional observational study in which high myopic eyes were included. CCT and MRS were analyzed by sector and correlated by semi-automatic segmentation. We used Topcon® DRI OCT and MP-3® Microperimeter for image acquisition.

Results: 29 eyes from 20 patients were analyzed. CCT demonstrated increasing thickness from the nasal, inferior, central, temporal to the superior sector. MRS showed increasing sensibilities from the central sector, followed by the inferior, nasal, superior and temporal sector. The linear regression adjusted for gender and age verified correlation between the central MRS and the subfoveal CCT with p = 0.002 (R=0,551); between the central MRS and the mean CCT, in horizontal section with p = 0.006 (R=0.510) and in vertical section with p = 0.005 (R=0,513); between the MRS at the 6º inferior sector and the CCT at 1.5mm from the inferior sector with p = 0.018 (R=0.442), and finally, between the MRS at the 6º nasal sector and the CCT at 1.5mm from the nasal sector with p = 0.032 (R=0.407).

Conclusion: After adjusting for gender and age, CCT is correlated with MRS in high myopic patients, and there was a statistically significant correlation (p<0.05) between the variables of interest in all sectors evaluated.