Ciliary body thickness increases with increasing axial myopia.

PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between ciliary body thickness and refractive error.

DESIGN

Prospective observational case series.

METHODS

We enrolled 75 eyes of 75 patients with no history of intraocular surgery or use of anti-glaucoma medication. Axial length was measured by A-scan ultrasonography. Ciliary body thickness (CBT) was measured by two masked observers on radial-section images of the temporal corneoscleral limbus, acquired with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) at 2 and 3 mm posterior to the scleral spur (CBT2 and CBT3, respectively).

RESULTS

Refractive error was inversely correlated with CBT2 and CBT3 (r = -.64 and r = -.52, P < .0001, respectively). Axial length was correlated with CBT (r = .66 and r = .57, P < .0001, for CBT2 and CBT3, respectively).

CONCLUSION

CBT increases with increasing myopia and axial length.