Clinical Ophthalmology (Jun 2025)
Thinning Choroidal Thickness and Flattening Morphology of Higher Myopia Eyes in Chinese Adults with Anisometropic Myopia: A Comparative Study
Abstract
Zhirong Zhang,1– 4,* Yongle Bao,1– 5,* Jian Cao,1– 4,* Yong Ma,1– 4 Yanze Yu,1– 4 Zhanying Wang,1– 4 Jiayi Hu,1– 4 Fang Liu,1– 4 Yuhao Ye,1– 4 Xingtao Zhou,1– 4 Jing Zhao1– 4 1Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Myopia and Related Eye Diseases, NHC, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Shanghai Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Laser and Autostereoscopic 3D for Vision Care, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Ophthalmology, Zhangye People’s Hospital, Hexi University, Zhangye, Gansu, 734000, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jing Zhao, Department of Ophthalmology, Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University; NHC Key Laboratory of Myopia; Laboratory of Myopia, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 83 Fenyang Road, Shanghai, 200031, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86021-64377134, Email [email protected]: To investigate variations in choroidal thickness and morphology in the eyes of Chinese adults with anisometropic myopia and their relationship with myopia.Methods: This study included 107 adults (aged 17– 50 years) with myopia and normal visual acuity. Based on interocular differences in spherical equivalent (SE), participants were categorized into an anisometropia group (≥ 1 diopter, [D], N = 33) and a control group (< 1D, N = 74). Optical coherence tomography was used to measure ocular biometry and choroidal thickness at seven horizontal regions, extending from nasal (N) to temporal (T). These regions included the subfoveal region, 0.5 mm (T/N0.5), 1.5 mm (T/N1.5), and 2.5 mm (T/N2.5) from the subfoveal. A proposed fitting curve equation described the choroidal curvature.Results: Binocular choroidal thickness exhibited a decreasing trend from temporal to nasal regions, with slight thickening in the subfoveal region compared to choroidal thickness at T0.5 and N0.5 in both groups (P < 0.01). In the anisometropia group, lower myopic eyes had greater choroidal thickness than those with higher myopia (P < 0.05). Fitting curve analysis revealed that eyes with lower myopia exhibited greater choroidal curvature than those with higher refractive power within the anisometropia group (P = 0.021). Additionally, choroidal thickness at parafoveal locations positively correlated with SE and negatively correlated with axial length in all eyes (P < 0.05).Conclusion: In adults with myopia, choroidal thickness shows a decreasing trend from temporal to nasal region and is negatively correlated with myopia degree. Morphological flattening in anisometropic eyes suggests choroid remodeling for axial adaptation elongation.Keywords: choroidal thickness, choroidal curvature, anisometropia, refractive error
