Background: To examine the retinal structure-vascular-function relationship using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in myopia.
Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study comprising 86 eyes of 45 individuals with varying axial lengths and spherical equivalents and no posterior segment abnormalities. All eyes underwent optical coherence tomography with the Spectralis SD-OCT and OCTA with RTVue-XR Avanti; Optovue. Individual macular retinal layer thicknesses and flow areas and vessel densities were measured on OCT and OCTA, respectively. Linear correlations were made between the macular layer thicknesses, flow areas and vessel densities with axial length, spherical equivalent and visual acuity.
Results: The participants' mean ages were 33.34 ± 14.45 years, mean spherical equivalent refractions were - 7.17 ± 5.71 D and axial lengths were 25.95 ± 2.41 mm. There were significant positive correlations of foveal angle (r = 0.757, p = 0.001), inner retinal (r = 0.764, p = 0.001) and outer plexiform layer (r = 0.771, p = 0.001) thickness on OCT and vessel densities in deep capillary plexus (r = 0.313, p = 0.003) on OCTA with axial length and negative correlations with spherical equivalents and visual acuity. Significant negative correlations of outer nuclear layer (r = - 0.560, p = 0.03) and photoreceptor outer segment layer thickness (r = - 0.856, p < 0.001) were noted on OCT with axial length and positive correlations with spherical equivalents and visual acuity.
Conclusion: The lateral retinal stretching in myopia could possibly explain the correlation between retinal layer thickness, vascular density and visual acuity in these eyes. Further research is required to investigate this.
Keywords: Axial elongation; Myopia; OCT; Optical coherence tomography angiography; Spherical equivalent; Structure; Visual acuity.