AIM: To research the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness change in high myopia amblyopic children and to discuss the relationships among RNFL thickness, axial length and age.

METHODS:Thirty-five Chinese children(59 eyes)with a mean age of(9.59±2.90)years were recruited. All eyes were ruled out the pathological changes of fundus diseases and front section. By atropine optometry after they were divided into: high myopia amblyopia group(22 eyes), high myopia group(15 eyes), normal group(22 eyes). RNFL scans were obtained for all eyes using optical coherence tomography and axial length was also surveyed by A-ultrasound. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate RNFL thickness at each location with axial length and age.

RESULTS:The peripapillary RNFL thickness in temporal of high myopia amblyopia group was thinner than that in high myopia group, and thicker than that in normal group. The peripapillary RNFL thickness in nasal, superior, inferior and the average thickness of high myopia amblyopia group were thinner than those in high myopia and normal gruops. The peripapillary RNFL thickness in inferior and average thickness of high myopia amblyopia group were significantly thinner than those of high myopia(P<0.05). The peripapillary RNFL thickness in nasal, superior, inferior and the average thickness of high myopia amblyopia group were significantly thinner than those of normal(P<0.01). The peripapillary RNFL thickness in temporal of high myopia group was significantly thicker, and in nasal, superior, inferior and the average thickness were significantly thinner than those of normal(P<0.05). The thickness of peripapillary RNFL in inferior showed a negative correlation with axial length in high myopia amblyopia group(R=0.474, R²=0.225, F=4.933, P=0.040). The thickness of peripapillary RNFL in superior showed a negative correlation with axial length in high myopia group(R=0.642, R²=0.412, F=9.104,P=0.010). These were no correlation between the peripapillary RNFL thickness and age in high myopia amblyopia, myopia amblyopia and normal.

CONCLUSION:There are significant abnormalities of retinal structure in high myopia amblyopia.