# Reading Performances in Highly Myopic Patients and Correlation with the Topography of Atrophic Maculopathy

## TL;DR

This study examines how the location of atrophic patches in the eyes of highly myopic patients affects their reading abilities, both monocularly and binocularly.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific correlations between the topography of chorioretinal atrophy and reading performance in pathologically myopic patients.

## Key findings

- Reading acuity is significantly associated with central foveal atrophy in univariate and multivariate analysis.
- Reading speed correlates negatively with inner right subfield involvement in multivariate analysis.
- Bilateral central atrophy is linked to binocular reading acuity, while inner subfield atrophy affects binocular reading speed.

## Abstract

To evaluate how the topography of atrophic patches influences monocular and binocular reading performances in eyes with pathologic myopia.

Prospective single-center observational investigation.

Sixty-two patients (112 eyes) affected by pathologic myopia (axial length [AXL] >26.5 mm). Only college graduates aged <65 years were selected.

All patients underwent monocular and binocular reading evaluation using Colenbrander Reading Charts, taking into account the reading time and missed words/errors. Moreover, eyes underwent fundus photography and autofluorescence: the presence of chorioretinal atrophy within the central, 4 inner, and 4 outer ETDRS grid subfields was reviewed.

Reading acuity (logarithm of the reading acuity determination [logRAD]); reading speed (words per minute [wpm]); percentage of errors/missed word; correlation with ETDRS subfield atrophy localization.

Mean AXL was 31.45 ± 2.21 mm. Monocularly, mean reading acuity was 0.37 ± 0.35 logRAD with an 8% ± 11% rate of missed or wrong words, whereas reading speed was 71.5 ± 27.8 wpm (range 25–125 wpm). Binocularly, mean reading acuity was 0.16 ± 0.16 logRAD with 5% ± 7% of missed or wrong words, whereas reading speed was 88.2 ± 18.0 wpm. Reading acuity was significantly associated with the presence of chorioretinal atrophy in the foveal central circle in univariate and multivariate analysis (P = 0.002). Conversely, reading speed negatively correlated with inner right subfield involvement in multivariate analysis (P = 0.008). Binocularly, reading acuity was associated with the presence of bilateral central atrophy (P = 0.001), whereas reading speed was associated with the presence of chorioretinal atrophy in the inner subfields on the horizontal plane in both eyes: bilateral inner right (P = 0.007) or inner left (P = 0.014) subfields; inner left OD (right eye)–inner right OS (left eye) (P = 0.002); inner right OD–inner left OS (P = 0.004).

In highly myopic eyes, we reported a significant relationship between the topography of patchy chorioretinal atrophy and reading performance.

The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.