The aim of present study was to assess the structure–function relationship between retinal thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and standard automated perimetry in high myopia.

Fifty eight high myopic individuals with no posterior abnormalities (defined as a mean spherical equivalent ≤ −6.00 D and axial length ≥ 26.0 mm) were recruited for this study. Optical coherence tomography with the Spectralis spectral domain optical coherence tomograph and visual field evaluation with the Humphrey Field Analyzer II-I were performed for all participants. Linear correlations were made between different macular layer thicknesses and peripapillary retinal nerve layer thickness with their matched visual field sensitivities.

Participant ages were 28.2±6.4 years (range 19–52 years), mean spherical equivalent refractions were ?8.20±1.40 D (range ?6.25 D to ?12.50 D) and axial lengths were 26.7±0.7 mm (range 26.0–29.8 mm). There were significant positive association between retinal layer thickness and corresponding visual field sensitivities as follows: ganglion cell layer in all quadrants, temporal quadrant of the nerve fiber layer with nasal quadrant of the visual field, inferior quadrant of the outer nuclear layer with superior visual field, and temporal-superior peripapillary nerve fiber layer with nasal-inferior visual field.

The present findings suggest that ganglion cell layer thickness changes may result in visual field defects in highly myopic eyes. The association between retinal layer thicknesses and visual field sensitivity could be explained by myopia-related losses due to lateral retinal stretching. Further research is needed to investigate it.