Prognostically significant peripheral retinal degenerations: Association with axial length, refraction, and age

Background. Peripheral retinal degeneration (PRD) is among the key risk factors for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), particularly in patients with myopia. Despite the accumulated data, the threshold values of axial length and refractive error associated with prognostically significant forms of PRD remain unclear. Clarifying these relationships is essential to optimizing patient management and informing decisions on prophylactic interventions.

Purpose: to assess the prevalence of peripheral retinal degenerations—including prognostically significant forms–and their associations with clinical refraction, axial length, and age.

Materials  and  methods. This retrospective study included 75 patients (150 eyes) examined by a retina specialist at the National Institute of Myopia in 2023. All eyes underwent automated refractometry, optical biometry, and dilated fundus examination using a 90-diopter Volk double aspheric noncontact lens (Volk Optical, USA). Binomial generalized linear models were applied to estimate relative risks (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results. PRD was identified in 71.3% of eyes. Prognostically significant forms (lattice degeneration and snail-track degeneration) were detected in 6.7% of cases, and retinal breaks in 8.0%. The prevalence of PRD was significantly higher with greater axial length (p = 0.001) and increasing myopic refraction (OR = 0.73; p < 0.001). The frequency of lattice degeneration increased with age (OR = 1.04; p = 0.018). No statistically significant associations were found between prognostically significant PRD, refractive error magnitude, and axial length. Astigmatism showed no significant correlation with PRD risk.

Conclusions. No statistically significant associations were detected for prognostically significant PRD, underscoring the need for adequately powered studies focused on populations with clinically significant retinal degenerations.

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