Korean J Ophthalmol.  2006 Dec;20(4):215-219. 10.3341/kjo.2006.20.4.215.

Thickness Changes in the Fovea and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Depend on the Degree of Myopia

• Choi SW
• Lee SJ

• KMID: 754585
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2006.20.4.215

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate changes in the thickness of the fovea and peripapillary RNFL associated with myopia. METHODS: Sixty-five Korean adults (for a total of 130 eyes) between 23 and 26 years of age were selected as test subjects. Thirty-eight test subjects were male, and 27 were female. Subjects with glaucoma or other identified ocular diseases were excluded. Patients whose manifest refraction measurement values ranged between 0 to -2D were classified as group one (emmetropia and low myopia), those between -2 to -5D were classified as group two (moderate myopia), and those more than -5D were classified as group three (high myopia). Using the OCT, the thickness of the fovea and peripapillary RNFL were measured for every subject. RESULTS: The thicknesses of the fovea for each of three groups were 142.16+/-8.99 micrometer in group one (45 eyes), 153.58+/-17.63 micrometer in group two (43 eyes) and 158.86+/-11.93 micrometer in group three (28 eyes). The data showed significant differences in fovea thickness between the groups. The average thicknesses of the peripapillary RNFL for each of three groups were 113.29+/-10.80 micrometer in group one, 103.85+/-14.48 micrometer in group two and 100.74+/-9.15 micrometer in group three. A statistically significant difference was found between group one and the other groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As the level of myopia increased, the thickness of the fovea also increased, while the thickness of the peripapillary RNFL decreased. Therefore, when interpreting OCT results in the clinic, careful consideration should be given to various changes associated with myopia.

Keyword

Foveal thickness; Myopia; Optical coherence tomography; Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer

MeSH Terms

Tomography, Optical Coherence
Severity of Illness Index
Refraction, Ocular
Prognosis
Nerve Fibers/*pathology
Myopia/*pathology
Male
Humans
Fovea Centralis/*pathology
Follow-Up Studies
Female
Adult

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Relationship between axial length and myopia.

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  Fig. 2 Relationship between foveal thickness and myopia.

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  Fig. 3 Relationship between RNFL-average thickness and myopia.

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  Fig. 4 Relationship between RNFL-inferior thickness and myopia.

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  Fig. 5 Relationship between RNFL-superior thickness and myopia.

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  Fig. 6 Relationship between RNFL-nasal thickness and myopia.

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  Fig. 7 Relationship between RNFL-temporal thickness and myopia.

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