The role of axial myopia examination includes evaluating the degree and type of myopia, judging the prognosis of surgery, and serving as a predictor of disease progression.
1. Evaluate the degree and type of myopia: myopia is divided into refractive myopia, axial myopia and compound myopia. Usually, for every 1mm increase in the eye axis, myopia increases by 200-300 degrees. Normal adult eye axis length is about 24mm, if the patient’s eye axis is more than 26mm or myopia is more than 600 degrees that is high myopia.
The continuous growth of the eye axis is one of the main reasons for the progression of high myopia or pathologic myopia. The examination of the eye axis can determine the type of myopia and provide reference for the treatment plan.
2. Determine the prognosis of surgery: After surgery for high myopia or pathologic myopia, it is necessary to review the eye axis to determine the prognosis. Retinal detachment and posterior scleral staphyloma can be treated with external surgery, such as scleral buckling surgery, and the measurement of the eye axis can determine the effect of shortening the eye axis after surgery.
3. Predictive indicators of disease progression: If the patient’s ocular axis is overly elongated, it can cause scleral thinning, choroidal thinning, retinal ischemia, leading to a series of fundopathies, such as retinal degeneration, retinal cleavage, retinal tear, choroidal neovascularization, etc. Examining the ocular axis can provide a reference for the clinician to determine the progression of the disease and the severity of the disease.
It is recommended that patients with abnormal eye axes should seek timely medical attention to assess their condition and follow the doctor’s instructions for treatment.