Microperimetry as Part of Multimodal Assessment to Evaluate and Monitor Myopic Traction Maculopathy

Purpose: To characterize a population of high myopes with myopic traction maculopathy (MTM), to assess their retinal function, and to correlate it with anatomic status.

Patients and methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study including 50 eyes from 27 patients. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed. Macular structure was assessed with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Heidelberg^®) and macular function was studied with Microperimeter MP-3, NIDEK^®.

Results: The average for central foveal thickness (CFT) and choroid thickness (CT) was 213±151 μm and 36±23 μm, respectively, in a total of 50 eyes from 27 patients. In the microperimetry analysis, the average sensitivity on the foveal-centered 12º polygon (CPS) was 14.37±9.1 dB. CT was negatively associated with the bivariate contour ellipse areas (BCEA) 1 (r=-0.314; p=0.034), 2 (r=-0.314; p=0.034), and 3 (r=-0.316; p=0.033). CPS had a strong positive correlation with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (r=0.661; p=0.000). We found a trend to worse microperimetric results in eyes with schisis (n=19) (p>0.05) but eyes with atrophic areas (n=33) presented significant inferior CPS (p<0.001). The presence of staphyloma showed significant impact on macular sensitivities in eyes with areas of macular atrophy/fibrosis (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Macular microperimetry analysis can have a role as part of a multimodal anatomo-functional assessment for a more precise characterization of the high myopic patients with MTM, optimizing medical and surgical decisions.