Normal and staphylomatous sclera of high myopia. An electron microscopic study

B. J. Curtin, T. Iwamoto and D. P. Renaldo

The posterior sclera of three normal eyes and five staphylomatous, myopic eyes was examined by electron microscopy. The following notable differences were found in myopic sclera: a predominantly lamellar, collagen fiber bundle arrangement; a reduction in the diameter of the fibrils; a greater dispersion for the range of fibril diameters; an increase in unusual star-shaped fibrils on cross section; and a greater prevalence of fibril groups with uniform but extremely fine diameters. These findings essentially agree with those in other studies of the myopic sclera. The ultramicroscopic changes encountered inpathologic myopia are judged to be compatible with an abnormal proteoglycan composition of the interfibrillary substance in the ectatic sclera.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Measurements in Myopia: An Optical Coherence Tomography Study
Leung et al.
IOVS 2006;47:5171-5176.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Differential Gene Expression in Mouse Sclera during Ocular Development
Zhou et al.
IOVS 2006;47:1794-1802.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Mechanosensitivity and the eye: cells coping with the pressure.
Tan et al.
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2006;90:383-388.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Choroidal neovascularisation in pathological myopia: an update in management
Chan et al.
Br. J. Ophthalmol. 2005;89:1522-1528.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Posterior Retinal Contour in Adult Human Anisomyopia
Logan et al.
IOVS 2004;45:2152-2162.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Isoform-specific Changes in Scleral Transforming Growth Factor-{beta} Expression and the Regulation of Collagen Synthesis during Myopia Progression
Jobling et al.
J. Biol. Chem. 2004;279:18121-18126.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Ocular and Scleral Alterations in Gene-Targeted Lumican-Fibromodulin Double-Null Mice
Chakravarti et al.
IOVS 2003;44:2422-2432.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Collagen Gene Expression and the Altered Accumulation of Scleral Collagen during the Development of High Myopia
Gentle et al.
J. Biol. Chem. 2003;278:16587-16594.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Structural and Ultrastructural Changes to the Sclera in a Mammalian Model of High Myopia
McBrien et al.
IOVS 2001;42:2179-2187.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Scleral Remodeling during the Development of and Recovery from Axial Myopia in the Tree Shrew
McBrien et al.
IOVS 2000;41:3713-3719.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Induced Myopia Associated with Increased Scleral Creep in Chick and Tree Shrew Eyes
Phillips et al.
IOVS 2000;41:2028-2034.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Choroidal Thickness Changes during Altered Eye Growth and Refractive State in a Primate
Troilo et al.
IOVS 2000;41:1249-1258.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT