AIM: To investigate the variation in macular retinal thickness of healthy Chinese myopic subjects by using optical coherence tomography(OCT).

METHODS: A total of 20 cases 20 eyes of normal subjects and 48 cases 48 eyes of high myopia(spherical equivalent\〖SE\〗 <-6.0D)were underwent examination of optical coherence tomography(Zeiss - Humphrey OCT3000). Fast macular thickness map OCT scans of 6 mm were done well on each eye. The minimum foveal and average foveal(1mm ring on the OCT retinal thickness map)thicknesses, the inner ring(1-3mm)macular thickness and the outer ring macular(3-6mm)thicknesses of superior, nasal, temporal and inferior parafovea retinal thickness were recorded.

RESULTS: The retina thickness at the superior was significantly thicker, and the inferior and nasal sides ofparafovea was thicker than the temporal one at the inner ring(1-3mm)macular. The retina thickness at the nasal sides was significantly thicker, and the inferior and superior of parafovea was thicker than the temporal one at the inner ring(3-6mm)macular. 2)The minimum foveal and average foveal(1mm ring on the OCT retinal thickness map)thicknesses were significantly greater than in the normal group. The inner ring(1-3mm)and all(except the superior)of the outer ring macular(3-6mm)thicknesses were significantly lower in the high myopic eyes than in the normal group. No significant difference was found in the superior of the outer ring macular(3-6mm)thicknesses between the high myopic group and the normal group(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Retinal thickness is related with regional variations in correlation within the 6-mm macular region. The attenuation was really existed in high myopia. It was inparafovea area but not fovea.