The Impact of Defocus-Induced Choroidal Thickness Changes on Myopia Onset
Sciotto, Giulia (2024)
2024
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112229458
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024112229458
Tiivistelmä
Introduction:
Myopia incidence is increasing worldwide, and the severe clinical ocular conditions related to high myopia makes this a public health concern. For this reason, it is important to understand the mechanisms leading to myopia development, and a deeper understanding of these dynamics could be provided by studies on myopia occurrence in children. Literature has recently focused on the potential role of the choroid in this process. The choroid is a highly vascular structure that changes its thickness in response to visual stimuli, and this property makes it potentially relevant in myopia development, since its thickness modifications could influence axial length.
Purpose:
The main purpose of this work is to revise the literature on the role of the choroidal changes induced by defocus and their implications for myopia onset.
Methods:
Pertinent literature has been searched using specific keywords (Choroidal thickness; Myopia onset; Defocus) and has been selected by considering only peer-reviewed articles published be-tween 2014 and 2024, studies not involving animal models, subjects with pathologies, or using medications.
Results:
Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, two studies were included. Even if few, the analyzed studies confirm that hyperopic defocus seems to promote choroidal thickness reduction. The resulting weakening of the structure could reduce the resistance of the eye and potentially facilitate axial elongation, which is a key feature of myopia development.
Conclusions:
The analysis of the selected literature suggests that changes in choroidal thickness induced by defocus can have a significant role in myopia development. Even if the potential contribution of the choroid in myopia development seems solid based on the evidence, more longitudinal studies with larger and more homogeneous samples are needed to understand the long-term effects of defocus on choroidal thickness and myopia development. Future research should employ advanced imaging techniques and include emmetropic control groups for comparative analysis. Confirming the role of choroidal thickness in the process of myopia development could lead in the future, to consider choroid as a biomarker whose monitoring could lead to the development of new prevention and treatment strategies.
Myopia incidence is increasing worldwide, and the severe clinical ocular conditions related to high myopia makes this a public health concern. For this reason, it is important to understand the mechanisms leading to myopia development, and a deeper understanding of these dynamics could be provided by studies on myopia occurrence in children. Literature has recently focused on the potential role of the choroid in this process. The choroid is a highly vascular structure that changes its thickness in response to visual stimuli, and this property makes it potentially relevant in myopia development, since its thickness modifications could influence axial length.
Purpose:
The main purpose of this work is to revise the literature on the role of the choroidal changes induced by defocus and their implications for myopia onset.
Methods:
Pertinent literature has been searched using specific keywords (Choroidal thickness; Myopia onset; Defocus) and has been selected by considering only peer-reviewed articles published be-tween 2014 and 2024, studies not involving animal models, subjects with pathologies, or using medications.
Results:
Based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, two studies were included. Even if few, the analyzed studies confirm that hyperopic defocus seems to promote choroidal thickness reduction. The resulting weakening of the structure could reduce the resistance of the eye and potentially facilitate axial elongation, which is a key feature of myopia development.
Conclusions:
The analysis of the selected literature suggests that changes in choroidal thickness induced by defocus can have a significant role in myopia development. Even if the potential contribution of the choroid in myopia development seems solid based on the evidence, more longitudinal studies with larger and more homogeneous samples are needed to understand the long-term effects of defocus on choroidal thickness and myopia development. Future research should employ advanced imaging techniques and include emmetropic control groups for comparative analysis. Confirming the role of choroidal thickness in the process of myopia development could lead in the future, to consider choroid as a biomarker whose monitoring could lead to the development of new prevention and treatment strategies.