Correlations among peripapillary vasculature, macular superficial capillaries, and eye structure in healthy and myopic eyes of Chinese young adults (STROBE)

The correlations between retinal vessel distribution, anterior chamber depth (ACD) and other myopic eye structural parameters remains elusive. This study aims to investigate retinal vasculature and eye structure correlations in healthy and myopic eyes of Chinese young adults. In this cross-sectional study, 181 eyes (97 adults) were recruited. Macular and peripapillary vasculature was quantified by optical coherence tomography angiography. Correlations between retinal vasculature and eye structure were analyzed using multivariable linear regression. There were significant differences in ACD, spherical equivalent, axial length (AL), superficial macular vascular density (MVD), peripapillary vascular density (PVD) and circumference of foveal avascular zone (FAZ) among emmetropia, low-myopia, moderate-myopia, and high-myopia groups (both P < 0.05). Furthermore, ACD had significant positive correlation with AL and FAZ, but negative correlation with PVD. MVD also had a negative correlation with AL (beta = –0.247, P < .001). In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between circumference of the FAZ and spherical equivalent as well as central subfield thickness (beta = –0.20, P = .005; beta = –0.334, P < .001, respectively). The degree of myopia affected ACD, MVD, PVD, and circumference of the FAZ in eyes of young healthy adults. Meanwhile, ACD has a positive, while retinal vascular system measurements have a negative correlation with increasing severity of myopia.