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Assessment of superficial retinal microvascular density in healthy myopia

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate retinal microvasculature in healthy myopia and investigate the correlation between microvascular density and ocular factors.

Methods

A total of 174 eyes from 174 healthy Korean subjects were included. The eyes were divided into four groups according to refraction: emmetropia [21 eyes, − 1.00 D ≤ mean spherical equivalent (MSE) < + 0.75 D], mild myopia (32 eyes, − 3.00 D ≤ MSE < − 1.00 D), moderate myopia (76 eyes, − 6.00 D ≤ MSE < − 3.00 D), and high myopia (45 eyes, MSE < − 6.00 D). Images of retinal vasculature in parapapillary and parafoveal area were obtained using optical coherence tomography angiography. Superficial retinal microvascular density was measured for correlation analysis with ocular parameters.

Results

High myopia was found to have a lower superficial parapapillary microvascular density compared with the other groups in total parapapillary area, and in sectors of nasal and inferonasal (all p ≤ 0.001). The superficial parapapillary microvascular density showed a negative correlation with axial length (AL) and intraocular pressure (IOP) (β = − 0.479, p = 0.008 and β = − 0.160, p = 0.048, respectively), and a positive correlation with parapapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (β = 0.140, p < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in superficial parafoveal microvascular density among all groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

This study reveals that superficial parapapillary microvascular density is lower in high myopia and has correlation with AL, IOP, and parapapillary RNFL thickness. It also indicates that superficial parafoveal microvascular density tends to be unaffected by healthy myopia. These retinal microvascular alterations may facilitate understanding the pathogenesis of glaucomatous optic nerve damage in high myopia.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2015R1D1A1A01059630) and the Bio and Medical Technology Development Program of the NRF funded by the Korean government (NRF-2017M3A9E8023019). The funding organizations had no role in the design or conduct of this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology and Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, 42 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju, 61469, South Korea

    Yue Guo, Mi Sun Sung & Sang Woo Park

  2. Center for Creative Biomedical Scientists, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea

    Sang Woo Park

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  1. Yue Guo
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  2. Mi Sun Sung
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Correspondence to Sang Woo Park.

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The authors have no conflicts of interests to disclose regarding any material discussed in this article.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.

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Guo, Y., Sung, M.S. & Park, S.W. Assessment of superficial retinal microvascular density in healthy myopia. Int Ophthalmol 39, 1861–1870 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-018-1014-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-018-1014-z

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