Longitudinal Macular Retinal and Choroidal Microvasculature Changes in High Myopia

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal changes in macular retinal and choroidal microvasculature in normal healthy and highly myopic eyes. Methods Seventy-one eyes, including 32 eyes with high myopia and 39 healthy control eyes, followed for at least 12 months and examined using optical coherence tomography angiography imaging in at least 3 visits, were included in this study. Fovea-centered 6 × 6 mm scans were performed to measure capillary density (CD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris (CC). The rates of CD changes in both groups were estimated using a linear mixed model. Results Over a mean 14-month follow-up period, highly myopic eyes exhibited a faster rate of whole image CD (wiCD) loss (-1.44%/year vs. -0.11%/year, P = 0.001) and CD loss in the outer ring of the DCP (-1.67%/year vs. -0.14%/year, P 0.05). Conclusions The rate of CD loss in the DCP is significantly faster in highly myopic eyes than in healthy eyes and is related to baseline AL. The CD in the outer ring reduces faster in eyes with longer baseline AL.