Impact of high myopia on visual disability and its causes in a Spanish cohort

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate visual disability (VD) and associated functional limitations in a Spanish High Myopia (HM) cohort using various disability scales and to identify the main causes of this disability and its impact on daily life. Methods: This observational study reviewed HM adults clinical records at IOBA from January 2023-June 2024. Exclusion criteria included incomplete data and having different pathologies other than pathologic myopia. VD was classified using ICD-10, ICD-11, and Wecker scales. R was used for statistical analysis. Results: We analysed 600 eyes from 300 patients (73.7% women, mean age 57.6± 15.3 years, mean spherical equivalent (SE) -13.04±6.03 D, mean LogMAR visual acuity 0.52± 0.72). According to ICD-11, 7.6% had mild VD, 12.3% moderate, 4.7% severe, and 2.7% were blind. Wecker scale showed 46.7% had VD. VD patients were older (p-value= 5.81*10-17) and had more negative SE (p-value=7.96*10-13). No sex differences in VD or pathology frequency were found. Myopic macular atrophy (MMA) (OR=7.816), retinal detachment (OR=3.956), amblyopia (OR=3.455), neovascularization (OR=2.668), SE (OR=1.115), and age (OR=1.040) were statistically significant key factors (p-value<0.05) for greater VD. Conclusion: this study highlihths a significant VD in a Spanish HM cohort being MMA the main cause. Age and SE were found to be relevant factors, as well.This helps to indentiy patients more in need of visual rehabilitation.