Association of macular thickness with Axial length & parapapillary atrophy in myopic eyes - A cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: The risks of visual impairment, which include retinal detachment, posterior staphyloma, cataract, choroidal neovascularization, and macular hole, increase dramatically as myopia worsens. With modern imaging technology such as Optical coherence tomography (OCT), which provides high-resolution retinal images, measures retinal thickness with high repeatability.Aims & Objectives: To determine the macular thickness in > -0.5D myopic patients. To correlate macular thickness with axial length.Methodology: An Observational cross sectional study was conducted among 61 patients aged >18 years & <35 attending Out Patient Department of Ophthalmology at R. L. Jalappa Hospital and Research, Kolar. Results: The mean age of study participants was 27.6 + 3.8 years. The mean axial length was 26.5 + 1.35. The mean power of myopia was -3.97 + 1.56. The mean central macular thickness was 238.6 + 21.3. There was positive correlation found between axial length, and age. Also positive correlation found between power of myopia and central macular thickness. There was negative correlation found between power of myopia and central macular thickness and age. The negative correlation found between power of myopia and axial length as well as central macular thickness. There was no significant correlation between parapapillary atropy & macular thickness in myopic eyes. Conclusion: The macular thickness in myopic eyes is significantly influenced by axial length. A positive correlation was observed between axial length and age. These findings suggest that progressive axial elongation and increasing myopic power are associated with structural changes in the macula, which may predispose eyes to further complications.