Purpose: To evaluate the incidence, rate and pattern of progression of myopic maculopathy in eyes operated with macular buckle (MB) for myopic traction maculopathy (MTM) vs a control group without surgery to find out if the progression varies due to the macular buckle's indentation, and to evaluate possible MB-related pigmentary changes or atrophy.
Methods: Eyes operated with macular buckle with two good quality fundus images: one preoperative or early postoperative image and the second image of at least 12 months apart, the control group was comprised by the contralateral eyes. Demographics, axial length, follow-up, stage of MTM and myopic maculopathy were reported. Groups and subgroups (mid and long-term follow-up) progression results were reported and compared.
Results: We included 116 eyes of 66 patients. Progression was found in 29 eyes (41.4%) and 23 eyes (50%) in the macular buckle group and control group, respectively. The progression rate was 73 per 1000 eye-years and 88.9 per 1000 eye-years in the macular buckle group and the control group, respectively. Axial length was found a predictor of progression (OR,2.59; p=0.02).
Conclusion: Progression of myopic maculopathy was similar in both groups, even mildly grater in the control group. We did not find any MB-related pigmentary changes or atrophy.