Macular choroidal volume variations in highly myopic eyes with myopic traction maculopathy and choroidal neovascularization.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the choroidal volume (CV) between emmetropic and highly myopic eyes, and to assess if the presence of myopic fundus abnormalities, myopic traction maculopathy, or choroidal neovascularization affects the CV.


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed imaging studies of 98 eyes of 98 patients who underwent CV measurement on optical coherence tomography. We included 31 emmetropic eyes (Group 1), 36 highly myopic eyes without vitreoretinal or choroidal pathologies (Group 2), 21 highly myopic eyes with traction maculopathy (Group 3), and 10 highly myopic eyes with history of choroidal neovascularization (Group 3). Eyes with chorioretinal atrophy were excluded. Regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between CV and multiple variables.


RESULTS
Choroidal volume was lower in Group 2 than in Group 1 (P < 0.001), and in Groups 3 and 4 than in Group 2 (P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). Age (P = 0.002), axial length (P < 0.001), sex (P = 0.047), staphyloma (P < 0.001), and myopic group (P = 0.05) were independent predictors for the final CV (R = 0.645). In highly myopic eyes, CV decreased by 0.32 mm for every 10 years and by 0.49 mm per millimeter of axial length.


CONCLUSIONS
Choroidal thinning is present in highly myopic eyes compared with emmetropic eyes, and is related to age, axial length, sex, and staphyloma. However, myopic eyes with coexisting myopic traction maculopathy or history of choroidal neovascularization have more severe thinning, likely leading to insufficient metabolic supplementation for the macula.
*Department of Ophthalmology, Jacobs Retina Center at Shiley Eye Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California; †Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Ophthalmological Unit, Ca' Granda Foundation-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; and ‡Department of Ophthalmology, Eulji University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea. J. Chhablani is now at L. V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India.
Giulio
G
Barteselli
Su Na
SN
Lee
Sharif
S
El-Emam
Huiyuan
H
Hou
Feiyan
F
Ma
Jay
J
Chhablani
Laura
L
Conner
Lingyun
L
Cheng
Dirk-Uwe
DU
Bartsch
William R
WR
Freeman
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058452:Axial Length, Eye / Q000473:pathology; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D058453:Emmetropia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D009929:Organ Size; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D055815:Young Adult