Progressive Myopia and Lid Suture Myopia are Explained by the Same Feedback Process: a Mathematical Model of Myopia.

OBJECTIVE: Progressive myopia in humans and lid-sutured myopia in primates have been considered to be different processes. This report seeks to establish the connection between progressive myopia in humans and lid suture myopia in macaque monkeys.

METHODS: We followed the axial length of 4 lid-sutured macaque monkeys over an 18 month period. Their axial length is directly related to myopia. We also studied the myopia progression in corrected human subjects. Macaques and humans exhibit a linear time course of myopia progression when lid-sutured or corrected with lenses, respectively.

RESULTS: A linear progression is observed in lid-sutured eyes of four macaques, r = 0.94, p < 0.05. Human progressive myopia and lid-suture myopia can be modeled by the same feedback process. In both cases the functional equivalent is the opening of the feedback loop.

CONCLUSIONS: The open loop feedback process predicts a linear progression of myopia. This prediction was confirmed in human subjects and it is now confirmed in our macaque subjects. This process also explains the very rapid rate of myopia progression of lid sutured eyes.