AIM:To analyze the association between the macular thickness and emmetropic, low myopic, moderate myopic and highly myopic eyes.

METHODS: The 276 teenagers(276 eyes)between 18～28 years treated in our hospital from January, 2013 to May, 2014 were selected, whose corrective visual acuity was ≥1.0 and intraocular preasure was ≤21mmHg and who were willing to participate in this research. Forty-nine emmetropic, 72 low myopic, 104 moderate myopic and 51 highly myopic eyes were measured by optical coherence tomography(OCT)to detect the central subfield thickness, bitamporal, superior, lateral and inferior region thickness of inner and outer region, average thickness of retinal macula, foveal thickness and retinal volume. The thickness of different parts of macula lutea was measured and statistically compared among emmetropic, low myopic, moderate myopic and highly myopic eyes.

RESULTS: The central subfield thickness of emmetropic, low myopic, moderate myopic and highly myopic eyes were(225.38±20.97),(230.97±19.15),(227.01±16.92),(231.91±18.97)μm. The average thickness of retinal macula,of emmetropic, low myopic, moderate myopic and highly myopic eyes were(280.92±12.71),(278.15±11.90),(270.05±12.07),(267.93±11.08)μm. There were no significant differences of center thickness(F=1.253, P=0.291)and central subfield thickness(F=1.034, P=0.378)between emmetropic, low myopic, moderate myopic and highly myopic eyes. The macular thickness of inner and outer region in moderate myopic eyes was significantly less than that in emmetropic eyes, and there was significant difference(P<0.05). Comparison between low myopic, moderate myopic and highly myopic eyes was carried out and macular thickness of all regions of inner and outer region in moderate myopic group was significantly increased, and there was significant difference(P<0.05). There was no significant difference when compared with the macular thickness of inner and outer region of the highly myopic group(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: In low myopic eyes of teenagers, the center macular thickness do not become thinner. However, the macular thickness of inner and outer region is thinner than that of emmetropic eyes. Furthermore, with the increase of the degree of the myopia, the amount of macular thinner gradually decreases from outer region to inner region.