Retinal Capillary Circulation in High Myopia: An Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Study

Background: The incidence of myopia, the most common refractive defect, is rising at an alarming rate. Changes in the retina's microvasculature cause long-term vision loss, and high myopia is one of many axial length-related problems. Aim of the work: Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography(OCTA), we may assess how high myopia-related pathological alterations impact blood flow to the retina from the capillaries. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional, prospective, and observational study was conducted between August 2023 and March 2024 at Al-Zahraa University Hospital. It involved 60 eyes of 30 cases divided into 2 groups(High myopic group, Control emmetropic group). Results: The results of the OCTA showed that high myopic eyes had considerably lower densities of superficial, deep, and radial peripapillary capillaries compared to the control group(P<0.001), and there was a negative connection with axial length(AL). Conclusion: In cases of High Myopia, where there is an increase in the length of the eyeball, there is a decrease in the density of blood vessels in the superficial, deep, and radial peripapillary capillaries.