title: A metabolic aspect of high myopia.
abstract: Abnormal zinc and copper metabolism has been described in some retinal disorders affecting the retinal pigment epithelium. Anatomic studies in high myopic eyes, show important changes in this retinal layer. We examined the blood for zinc and copper and urine for copper in different groups of high myopic black and white patients, and high myopic white patients with primary retinal detachment. In the white myopic groups, many of the patients showed high serum zinc and low serum copper values. In the high myopic patients with primary retinal detachment, the serum zinc and copper were found to be distinctly elevated and of statistical significance. A relative inverse copper/zinc ratio between the concentration of these metals in serum and their concentration in the subretinal fluid was noted as well. The significance of these findings and their connection to the retinal pigment epithelium is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012031:Refractometry; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000378:metabolism; D044465:White People; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc