# Beyond refractive error: myopia’s exponential burden on retinal health with each diopter

## TL;DR

This study shows that the risk of retinal diseases increases significantly with the severity of myopia, emphasizing the need for early monitoring and intervention.

## Contribution

The study quantifies the exponential increase in retinal disease risk with each diopter of myopia severity.

## Key findings

- Severely myopic patients had 8.15 times higher odds of retinal complications compared to non-myopes.
- Odds of retinal diseases increased per diopter of myopia, with MMD and foveoschisis showing the highest ORs.
- The study found a dose-response relationship between myopia severity and retinal disease risk.

## Abstract

As myopia reaches epidemic levels worldwide, its role in driving vision-threatening retinal complications is increasingly urgent. This study quantifies the burden of myopia by examining its association with key retinal diseases and how risk escalates with increasing severity.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the STARR clinical data warehouse, including all patients with ≥ 1 documented eye visit. Myopia severity was defined by spherical equivalent and axial length, classifying patients as non-myopic, myopic, highly myopic, or severely myopic. Primary outcomes included six retinal diseases associated with myopia: choroidal neovascularization (CNV), myopic macular degeneration (MMD), foveoschisis, macular hole (MH), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and foveal retinal detachment (FRD). Adjusted logistic regression estimated odds by myopia severity and spherical equivalent. Mean age at diagnosis was compared across groups.

Retinal complications occurred at younger ages with increasing myopia severity. Compared to non-myopes, myopic, highly myopic, and severely myopic patients had 2.45 (95% CI: 2.36–2.55), 2.46 (95% CI: 2.31–2.62), and 8.15 (95% CI: 7.17–9.27) times higher odds, respectively, of developing any retinal complication. Per diopter increase in myopia, the odds of each complication increased: CNV (OR 1.11; 95% CI: 1.09–1.12), MMD (OR 1.22; 95% CI: 1.18–1.25), foveoschisis (OR 1.22; 95% CI: 1.16–1.28), MH (OR 1.06; 95% CI: 1.05–1.08), FRD (OR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.16–1.32), and RRD (OR 1.10; 95% CI: 1.10–1.11). In severe myopes, odds were markedly elevated: CNV (OR 22.90), MMD (OR 60.19), foveoschisis (OR 102.98), MH (OR 6.69), FRD (OR 22.72), and RRD (OR 6.84).

Myopia is independently associated with higher odds of retinal diseases, and this risk increases incrementally with severity. These findings support a dose-response relationship and highlight the importance of early risk stratification, tailored monitoring, and timely referral in patients with high and severe myopia.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40942-025-00745-7.