title: Macular gradient measurement in myopic posterior staphyloma using optical coherence tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate clinical characteristics and the macular gradient in myopic posterior staphyloma with time domain (TD) optical coherence tomography (OCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four staphyloma eyes of 40 patients were examined. Macular gradient (tangent θ) and the location of staphyloma were assessed with OCT imaging. The macular gradient was measured at points 1 mm and 2 mm distant from the fovea. The relationships of the macular gradient with age, axial length, and spherical equivalent were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 8 eyes (12.5%), the bottoms of the staphylomas were in the fovea, and there was no macular gradient. However, in the other 56 eyes (87.5%), the bottoms of the staphylomas were not in the foveal area, and macular gradients existed. Staphylomas were commonly located in the infero-nasal retinal area. The mean macular gradient (tangent θ) was 0.26 ± 0.08 at 1 mm distance from the fovea and 0.28 ± 0.10 at 2 mm. No significant relationships were observed between macular gradient and axial length, patient age, or spherical equivalent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TD OCT reveals staphyloma location. If the location is outside of the fovea, a macular gradient exists and can be measured by OCT. Axial length measurement error may occur in eyes with poor visual fixation and steep macular gradients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Byung
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Byung Gil
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Sung Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Joo Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: June-Gone
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015422:Scleral Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*