A CLINICAL-STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF POSTERIOR VITREOUS DETACHMENT IN HIGH MYOPIA

Purpose: The correlation of age, axial length, and myopic chorioretina l atrophy with vitreous changes in high myopia were analyzed to invest igate the development of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) in high m yopia. Methods: The vitreous condition of 329 consecutive eyes with hi gh myopia (more than -8.25 diopters (D) and more than 26.0 mm of axial length) was examined biomicroscopically with a +90-D preset lens and a Goldmann three-mirror contact lens. Results: The prevalence of PVD i n high myopia was 12.5% in patients between 20 and 29 years of age, an d it increased with age. The incidence of PVD in eyes with axial lengt h of more than 30.0 mm was 60.7% and was statistically higher than the prevalence in eyes with an axial length of less than 29.9 mm (P < 0.0 1). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age and axial le ngth were statistically significant factors in the development of PVD and lacuna formation in high myopia (P < 0.01), but the influence of c horioretinal atrophy was not significant. Conclusion: The results of t his study suggest that liquefaction of the vitreous begins at a relati vely young age in patients with high myopia and progresses with age an d axial elongation, thus resulting in a frequent occurrence of PVD.