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Giacomo Panozzo, MD; Andrea Mercanti, MD

Arch Ophthalmol. 2004;122:1455-1460.

Objective  To describe the features and incidence of epiretinal traction and related retinal damage in degenerative myopia.

Design  Consecutive observational case series.

Methods  We retrospectively reviewed medical records and optical coherence tomography findings of 218 eyes with high myopia of 121 consecutive patients to detect the incidence and features of epiretinal traction–related macular damage. The degree of myopia ranged from –8 to –26 spherical equivalent (mean ± SD, –16.93 ± 5.74). Mean ± SD axial length was 29.75 ± 2.12 mm. Excluding eyes with possibly confounding features, 125 eyes were analyzed.

Main Outcome Measure  Detection of epiretinal traction and related macular damage.

Results  Epiretinal traction was found in 58 (46.4%) of 125 eyes and retinal damage, in 43 eyes (34.4%). Macular retinoschisis was the most frequent form of macular damage (25 eyes [58%]), followed by retinal thickening, lamellar hole, and shallow retinal detachment.

Conclusions  Epiretinal traction is a frequent finding in degenerative myopia and, particularly if associated with the presence of staphyloma, can generate a form of macular damage unique to eyes with high myopia. This damage can affect up to one third of these eyes and should be considered as a separate cause of visual loss easily detected by optical coherence tomography at its early stages.

From TECLO srl, Vitreoretinal Service, Verona, Italy. The authors have no relevant financial interest in this article.

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