The global incidence of myopia is on a sharp rise, with predictions indicating that by 2050, half of the world's population will experience myopia. Among these, axial high myopia presents a significant diagnostic challenge for eye care specialists. High myopia is notably a substantial risk factor for glaucoma, with evidence suggesting that myopic eyes are 2 to 3 times more susceptible to developing glaucoma, with even greater risk in high myopic individuals. Complicating matters, myopic changes often mimic glaucomatous changes, making it difficult to differentiate between the two, leading to potential overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments.

Currently, established imaging technologies like Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which are standard in glaucoma diagnostics, lack reliability in diagnosing high myopic eyes due to increased segmentation errors and a deficiency of high myopic eyes in the normative database. Thus, diagnosing glaucoma and monitoring its progression in high myopic eyes remains a challenging area, calling for refined guidelines to bridge this diagnostic gap.

The goal of this Research Topic is to address the complexities involved in accurately diagnosing glaucoma in patients with high myopia. Discussion will centre around the diagnostic challenges presented in clinical examinations and when utilising diagnostic tools such as OCT and OCT-Angiography (OCTA). We seek a comprehensive analysis of established OCT and OCTA parameters, such as the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), minimum rim width (MRW), and ganglion cell complex (GCC), among others. Furthermore, the exploration of new parameters and imaging techniques to characterise the myopic eye, incorporating both glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous changes, is essential for developing effective risk calculators that enhance glaucoma management in high myopic eyes.

To gather further insights into these diagnostic challenges, we invite submissions across various themes, including:

- Evaluation of established OCT parameters (GCIPL, GCC, BMO-MRW, RNFL, etc.)
- Examination of established OCTA parameters
- Clinical/photography-based features of high myopic eyes with and without glaucoma
- Development of new OCT and/or OCTA parameters to distinguish myopia from glaucoma-related changes
- OCT-based parameters to characterise optic nerve head anatomy in non- and high myopes with and without glaucoma
- Innovative techniques for managing high myopia and glaucoma

We welcome original research, case reports, reviews, mini-reviews, and potentially other manuscript types that contribute to refining diagnostic approaches and management strategies for high myopic eyes in the context of possible glaucoma.

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Diagnostic Burdens in High Myopia