Correlation between the pattern of myopic fundal changes and the axis of astigmatism of the eye.

Aims: Myopic fundal changes have been studied in great detail, clinically and pathologically. To our knowledge correlation between these changes and the axis of astigmatism has not been studied before. This study was conducted to assess the correlation, if any, between the pattern of myopic fundal changes and the axis of astigmatism.

Methods: Sixty-nine eyes (42 patients) with one or more characteristic myopic fundal change were studied prospectively. The patterns of myopic change were recorded by fundus photography. The deep/longest axis of the crescent and peripapillary atrophy was determined and ascribed a value in degrees in a manner similar to the axis of astigmatism in refraction. Refraction was then carried out. The axis of peripapillary atrophy and that of the crescent was correlated with the axis of myopic astigmatism and the coefficient of correlation determined (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient).

Results: A statistically significant correlation was found between the axis of compound myopic astigmatism and the long axis of myopic retinal degeneration (r=0.89, p<0.001) and with the deep axis of disc crescents (r=0.80, p <0.001).

Conclusion: Astigmatism is likely to have an aetiopathogenic association with myopic fundal changes.