Laurence Shen Lim, MRCS, and researchers at the Singapore National Eye Centre studied the way in which nearsightedness (myopia) relates to the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR). The study of 675 diabetics aged 40 to 80 concluded that reduced risk of DR, especially severe DR, was found in patients whose myopia resulted in two specific anatomical characteristics: a longer axial length and a deeper anterior eye chamber. “This DR-protective effect may result from conditions often found in myopia, including atrophy of the retina, choroid, or vitreous,” Dr. Lim said. The findings were reported at the 2009 Joint Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology, currently meeting in San Francisco.
