Effect of high myopia on macular thickness: An optical coherence tomography study in a tertiary care hospital, Karnataka, India

• Main Authors: Arathi Choudhary, Raksha Halmuthur Venkatesh, M P Jayashree, Hamsa Dyamenahalli Surendrappa, R Divya, L M Darshini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2021-01-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology and Research
• Subjects: macular thickness; myopia; optical coherence tomography
• Online Access: http://www.jcor.in/article.asp?issn=2320-3897;year=2021;volume=9;issue=1;spage=17;epage=20;aulast=Choudhary

Aim: The aim is to study the correlation of high myopia with macular thickness by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Design: Case control study. Subjects and Methods: Sixty patients visiting outpatient department, Department of Ophthalmology of a tertiary care hospital, were enrolled in the study. The macular thickness of 30 high myopes and 30 emmetropes was measured using OCT. All high myopes had a spherical equivalent of ≥-6.0 Diopters (D) and intraocular pressure <21 mmHg. All the participants were chosen after excluding other ophthalmic diseases or any history of ocular or refractive surgery. Statistical Analysis: Variables are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Unpaired and Paired t-test were used. P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The para and perifoveal retinal thickness were significantly thin in high myopic eyes as compared to emmetropic eyes. The central foveal thickness was 298.93 ± 38.813 μm in high myopes and 224.63 ± 16.439 μm in emmetropes, which was statistically significant P < 0.001. Conclusion: The macular thickness was significantly decreased in myopic eyes compared to emmetropic eyes. However, the central foveal thickness was significantly high in high myopes. Therefore, the analysis of macular thickness in the evaluation of macular diseases or glaucoma should be considered based on refractive errors and the location of measurement.