title: [Characterization of the biometric eye profile of a high myopic population: does high myopia correspond to a homogenous phenotype?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High myopia is a public health problem because of its high prevalence and is a major cause of blindness. The physiopathology of myopia remains unknown and mechanisms causing the disease are most probably complex, combining acquired environmental and genetic factors. The most recent data suggest that genetic determinisms of high myopia could be highly dependent on subject phenotype. The aim of this study was to analyse the ocular components of a high myopic population to verify whether high myopia corresponds to a homogeneous phenotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analysed the biometric characteristics of 718 myopic eyes with a spherical equivalent of less than -5 diopters. The biometric parameters (corneal radius, axial length, and intraocular pressure) were compared controlling for sex and the degree of myopia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a difference between the phenotype of males and females. For men, axial length was the only determinant of the myopic phenotype, whereas for women, the myopic phenotype was determined by axial length and corneal radius. This difference between the phenotypes was more evident for myopia with a spherical equivalent greater than -10 diopters (moderate myopia). This difference between males and females disappeared in myopia less than -15 diopters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are intersex differences considering the high myopia phenotype at a spherical equivalent less than -5 diopters. However, this difference disappears for extremely high myopia with a spherical equivalence of less than -15 diopters.
authors: Inserm U563, hôpital Purpan, CHU de Toulouse, BP 3028, 31024 Toulouse cedex 3, France. s.auriol@yahoo.fr
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Auriol
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Butterworth
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Macé
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Meng
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Malecaze
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001699:Biometry / Q000379:methods*; D019781:Corneal Topography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D012016:Reference Values; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000235:genetics; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult