Relationship between retinal lesions and axial length, age and sex in high myopia

Abstract

We analysed the relationship between central and peripheral retinal lesions and axial length (AL), patient's age and sex with myopia greater than 6 diopters. A total of 212 eyes of 109 patients with high myopia underwent detailed funduscopy and A-scan ultrasonography. AL was measured, and central and peripheral retinal lesions were noted. Results were analysed using Student's t-test. Sixty-one patients (118 eyes) were female and 48 (94 eyes) male. Mean age was 31.00 +/- 13.67 years, and mean AL was 28.31 +/- 2.02 mm. Chorioretinal atrophy, Fuchs' spot, posterior staphyloma and posterior vitreous detachment increased significantly with AL and age. Fuchs' spot was more common in females. White-without-pressure (WWP) was inversely correlated with AL and age, and was more common in males. The high frequency of WWP in younger patients and moderate AL suggests that these lesions result from vitreoretinal tractions. Lattice degeneration was also a frequent finding in high myopia, and tended to increase with AL and age, though without reaching statistical significance.