Detection of myopic foveoschisis by means of hi-tech diagnostic exams.

Aim: Myopic foveoschisis (MF) is the splitting of the retinal layers in the fovea, probably caused by the excessive elongation of the ocular globe in patients with high myopia (HM). The aim of the study was to evaluate the morphological and functional characteristics of the retinal area affected by MF. Methods: Five eyes of 10 patients were diagnosed with MF by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Patients were examined using both a nineteen-line raster scan and a three-dimensional scan during the same visit. All subjects underwent monocular instrumental registration of the visual characteristics of macular areas such as macular thickness, retinal functionality and sensitivity values. The patients and control subjects underwent also multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) and Microperimetry (MP-1) and the obtained results were compared to show the effects of pathologies of the inner and outer retinal layers. The statistic analysis with nonparametric tests for the examined variables, and in particular the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test for paired data, was performed. Results: The two tailed test yielded statistically significant values in the MF group for all three studied characteristics, OCT, mfERG and MP-1, in both the first and second ring. In the third area between 5° and 10° the alterations of the values proved to be statistically significant only for macular thickness measured by OCT and amplitude of the P1 wave shown in the mfERG results. Conclusions: The nineteen-line raster scan and the three-dimensional scan mode of SD-OCT were useful for the detection of the pathologies that accompany MF, also providing important informations before and after a possible vitreo-retinal surgery. However these informations must be supported by objective and subjective functional tests just as mfERG and MP-1.