Abstract
Purpose :
The retinal shape and structure appear to play a role in myopia development and progression. In addition, the retina may change in thickness due axial elongation. The purpose of this study is to exam longitudinal changes in retinal thickness and shape in a population of children with myopia.
Methods :
87 subjects ages 7-12 (mean 10.8) were imaged for this study using thirty degree SD OCT images (Spectralis, Heidleberg.) Imaging was collected at baseline and 1 yr follow-up. Images were collected in a radial pattern along with peripheral refraction (Grand Seiko), corneal topography (Medmont) and axial length measurements (IOLmaster, Zeiss.) OCT images were segmented with custom software to determine the thickness of the total retina, ONL, OPL, INL, Choroid, GCL and retinal shape. Lateral magnification and tilt effects were corrected. Statistics were performed using repeat measures ANOVA in SPSS (IBM.)
Results :
Compared to previous studies, the fovea thinned within the central 3 degrees on average 22.1 microns (p = 0.042.) The peripheral retina did not show a significant thinning over time. Consistent with previous reports, the choroid thinned with myopia progression. Retinal shape became more prolate over time with progression (70 microns at 14 degrees, p = 0.008) and those that did progress exhibited more prolate retinas at baseline.
Conclusions :
Previous studies have shown a relative thickening or no change in the fovea thickness with increasing myopia and a relative thinning outside the fovea. This study found a relative thinning at the fovea which contradicts those studies. This thinning resulted in a change in the fovea slope. Retinal shape may play a role in myopia progression which would support peripheral defocus strategies for treatment.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.