Decreased choroidal and scleral thicknesses in highly myopic eyes with posterior staphyloma

In this cross-sectional study, we investigated choroidal thickness (CT) and scleral thickness (ST) in highly myopic eyes and their associations with ocular factors. Patients underwent widefield swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) to measure the CT and ST at the subfovea and 3000 mu m superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal to the fovea and macular curvature. A total of 237 eyes (154 patients) were included. At all five measurement points, thinner CTs and STs were associated with longer axial lengths (r=- 0.548 to - 0.357, all P<0.001) and greater macular curvatures (r=- 0.542 to - 0.305, all P<0.001). The CT and ST were significantly thinner in eyes with posterior staphyloma than in those without at all measurement points (all P <= 0.006) but did not differ between eyes with the wide macular and narrow macular type of staphyloma. Eyes with myopic maculopathy of category >= 3 according to the International Meta-Analysis for Pathologic Myopia classification had significantly thinner CTs and STs than those with category <= 2 (all P <= 0.005). In highly myopic eyes, a decrease in the CT and ST was more pronounced in eyes with more structural changes, such as longer axial length, steeper macular curvature, and the presence of posterior staphyloma.

Automated summary

The study found that in highly myopic eyes, choroidal and scleral thickness are associated with ocular factors such as axial length and macular curvature. Particularly, the choroid and sclera were thinner in eyes with posterior staphyloma and more severe myopic maculopathy.