AIM: To compare the changes in retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)and macular ganglion cell complex(GCC)measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT)in non-glaucoma subjects with low, moderate, and high myopia.

METHODS: A total of 400 subjects(400 eyes)with myopia who attended our hospital from December 2019 to November 2022 were selected to participate in this study, and the subjects were divided into the following groups according to their degree of myopia: low myopia group(142 cases, 142 eyes, 35.5%), moderate myopia group(139 cases, 139 eyes, 34.8%)and high myopia group(119 cases, 119 eyes, 29.8%). RNFL thickness profiles were measured, including mean, superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal RNFL thickness. GCC parameters were measured, including mean, superior, superior temporal, inferior, inferior temporal, superior nasal, and inferior nasal. Correlation between RNFL thickness measured by OCT, mean GCC parameters, and axial length was evaluated.

RESULTS: The mean RNFL thickness above, below and nasal side was significantly higher in the low and moderate myopia groups and the temporal RNFL thickness was significantly lower than the high myopia group(all P<0.05); the mean GCC thickness above, above temporal, below, below temporal, above nasal, below nasal and mean GCC thickness were significantly higher in the low and moderate myopia groups than in the high myopia group(all P<0.05); In the moderate myopia group, the mean RNFL and GCC thickness were both negatively correlated with axial length(r=-0.387, -0.309, all P<0.05). In the high myopia group, both RNFL and GCC thickness means were negatively correlated with eye axis length(r=-0.499, -0.503, all P<0.01).

CONCLUSION:RNFL and GCC thicknesses tend to be thinner in subjects with high myopia than in subjects with low and moderate myopia.