This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Axial length not linked to visual field loss in myopic Chinese patients
J Glaucoma. 2010;19(8):509-513.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Axial length did not affect visual field loss in myopic Chinese patients with glaucomatous optic nerve damage and vision loss, a study found.
"These findings suggest that factors other than progressive lengthening of the eye play an important role in the etiology of glaucomatous-appearing optic nerve damage and visual field loss in this specific subset of patients," the study authors said.
Axial length was measured in both eyes of 20 Chinese patients with myopia, glaucomatous visual abnormalities and asymmetric visual field loss, but no correlation was found between axial length and mean deviation on visual field testing, according to the study.
Thirty of 40 eyes had tilted discs, and the average cup-to-disc ratio was 0.74. IOP averages ranged from 7 mm Hg to 20 mm Hg, and 30 eyes had more than 6 D of myopia. Average patient age was 53.6 years.
In contrast with the expectations of the study authors, longer axial length did not produce greater visual field loss in patients with asymmetric disease.
Although the correlation between myopia and glaucoma susceptibility has been postulated for numerous populations, including Chinese patients, this study suggests that longer axial length is not the key factor contributing to this association and that further research is needed.