Prevalence of myopia‐related retinal changes among 12–18 year old H ong K ong C hinese high myopes

• Published in: Ophthalmic & physiological optics Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. 652 - 660
• Main Authors: Cheng, Sam CK, Lam, Carly SY, Yap, Maurice KH
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.11.2013
• ISSN: 0275-5408; 1475-1313
• DOI: 10.1111/opo.12082

Abstract Purpose To determine the prevalence and risk factors of myopia‐related retinal changes in H ong K ong C hinese adolescents with high myopia. Methods A cross‐sectional study on H ong K ong C hinese teenage subjects with high myopia was conducted between January 2005 and June 2009. Subjects were recruited via newspaper advertisements, invitation letters to schools, leaflets and posters. Data collected included history related to myopia progression and retinal characteristics. Results In total, 120 subjects (61 boys and 59 girls) were recruited. The mean age was 14.8 ± 1.6 years (range: 12–18 years). The mean SER of the eyes was −8.41 ± 1.60 D. Ninety four of the 120 adolescents were found to have a retinal change of which 0.8% were sight‐threatening, 2.5% were posterior pole changes, and 61.7% were peripheral retinal changes. The five most frequent retinal changes found were optic nerve crescents (52.5%), white‐without‐pressure (51.7%), lattice degeneration (5.8%), microcystoid degeneration (5%) and pigmentary degeneration (4.2%). After adjusting for myopia over −8 D, age, gender, duration of myopia, family retinal history and intraocular pressure ( IOP ), binary logistic regressions showed that an axial length longer than 26.5 mm was a significant risk factor for peripheral retinal changes, optic nerve crescents and white‐without‐pressure. Conclusions Peripheral retinal degenerative changes and optic nerve crescent were found in a significant proportion of high myopic teenage subjects. There is increased risk of retinal changes in eyes with an axial length >26.5 mm in 12–18 year‐olds.