Role of Ultra‐widefield Imaging in the evaluation of Long‐term change of highly myopic fundus

Purpose To evaluate the impact of posterior staphyloma identified using ultra‐widefield fundus imaging on the long‐term progression of myopic maculopathy in highly myopic patients. Methods In this observational cohort study, highly myopic patients who were followed up for at least 5 years using ultra‐widefield fundus imaging were analysed for fundus abnormalities and the progression of myopic maculopathy based on the International Meta‐analysis of Pathologic Myopia classification. Results This study included 390 eyes (210 patients) with the mean follow‐up period of 69.2 ± 7.5 months (range, 60–88). Posterior staphyloma was identified in 198 eyes (50.8%) in the baseline ultra‐widefield fundus images. The border of staphyloma was not identified within 50° view circle corresponding to conventional fundus photography in 42 eyes (21.2%) with staphyloma, most of that were wide macular type. Progression of myopic maculopathy during follow‐up was observed in 202 eyes (51.8%), and eyes with staphyloma were more likely to show progression compared to those without (142/198 [71.7%] versus 60/192 [31.3%]; p