Correlation between optic disc deformation and retinal vasculature in non-pathological high myopia

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between optic disc deformation and retinal vasculature in high myopia.Methods: One hundred and thirty eyes with non-pathological high myopia were included in this cross-sectional study. The optic disc tilt ratio, and horizontal and vertical disc diameters were analyzed using fundus color photography. A 3 × 3 mm2 grid and a 4.5 × 4.5 mm2 grid were used to scan parafoveal and peripapillary regions, respectively, using optical coherence tomography angiography. Vessel flow density (VFD) and fractal dimension of the retina and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were analyzed and quantified using en face projection images. Optic disc parameters that were associated with vascular changes were determined using multiple linear regression analysis.Results: Results from the multivariate analysis revealed that the tilt ratio (β = -2.291, p = 0.025) was negatively correlated with three sectors in the deep layer. Age was negatively correlated with the VFD of the retina (β = -2.161; p < 0.034). Additionally, FAZ was not significantly correlated with any factors in the current study. Further, there was a positive correlation between retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and VFD of the optic nerve head (β = -2.146, p = 0.035).Conclusions: Overall, our results demonstrated that optic disc deformation was negatively correlated with the retinal microvasculature in non-pathological high myopia. Therefore, optic disc deformation may be used to predict the retinal vasculature in high myopia.