The Existence and Regression of Persistent Bergmeister's Papilla in Myopic Children Are Associated With Axial Length.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the existence and regression of persistent Bergmeister's papilla (PBP) in myopic eyes and determine its independent predictors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional population-based study included 472 eyes of 236 myopic children. PBPs were identified with swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT) and were classified into three types (types I, II, and III) according to their morphologic features.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 12.13 ± 2.60 years (range = 5-18 years), and 118 (50%) participants were boys. The prevalence of PBPs in our study was 67.8% (160/236). There were significant differences in height, spherical equivalent (SE), and axial length (AL) between the PBP and non-PBP groups (P < 0.05). Type I PBP was noted in 173 eyes (66.8%); type II PBP in 59 eyes (22.8%); and type III PBP in 27 eyes (10.4%). The three PBP types showed significant differences in height, AL, and SE (P < 0.001). Stepwise linear regression analysis indicated that the height (B = 4.497, P < 0.001), PBP existence or not (B = -1.434, P < 0.001), and the types of PBP (B = 0.566, P = 0.041) was an independent predictor for AL, respectively. PBP was detected more frequently in the nasal quadrant than in the inferior quadrant of the disc.

CONCLUSIONS

PBP regression was closely related to the AL and could be used as a new biomarker to indicate the progression of myopia.

TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE

Our analysis of the presence and morphology of PBP might enable clinicians to judge the progression of myopia.