Peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness profile in subjects with myopia measured using the Stratus optical coherence tomography

Background/aims: To evaluate the relationship between the axial length and refractive error and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness profiles measured using Stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT) in subjects with myopia. Methods: Forty-eight eyes of 48 myopic subjects were recruited and divided into three groups according to their spherical equivalent (SE): low myopia (-3.0 D<SE<0.0 D), moderate myopia (-6.0 D<SE <= -3.0 D) and high myopia (SE <= -6.0 D) groups. All individuals underwent the imaging with the Stratus OCT. The RNFL thickness profiles were compared between the groups. Results: The global average RNFL was significantly thinner in the high myopia group than in the low myopia group (107.4 (SD 7.6) vs 115.8 (8.5) mu m, p = 0.029 by post hoc test). For quadrant measures, the RNFL was thicker in the low myopia group than in the moderate and/or high myopia groups for the superior, nasal and inferior quadrants (all p values <= 0.020). However, the temporal quadrant was thinner in the low myopia group than in the moderate and high myopia groups (p = 0.001). Conclusion: High myopes had thinner RNFLs than did low myopes and showed different topographic profiles. Although the high myopes had significantly thinner RNFLs in the non-temporal sectors compared with the low myopes, they showed a significantly thicker RNFL in the temporal quadrant.