Copper metabolism changes in pigmentary retinopathies and high myopia

Reports have appeared in the literature of abnormal copper metabolism in pigmentary retinopathies based on the fact that there is a correlation between copper and pigment formation. Recently, important advances have been made in our understanding of human copper metabolism. It was discovered that copper plays a role in melanin formation, and is known to be correlated with pigment formation. Since high myopia is connected with changes in the retinal pigment epithelium, we found it of interest to examine the copper metabolism in patients with high myopia. Since the results of the values of copper metabolism in retinitis pigmentosa patients are contradictory our findings in these patients were included in this study.