To investigate the morphologic features of the Schlemm canal and trabecular meshwork in highly myopic eyes with early intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation after cataract surgery.

Retrospective case-control study.

Eighty-eight highly myopic eyes of 88 patients after uneventful cataract surgery were included, 31 of which had early postoperative IOP elevation and 57 of which did not. The morphologic features of the Schlemm canal and trabecular meshwork, collected with swept-source optical coherence tomography before surgery, were reviewed. Backwards stepwise multiple linear regression was used to investigate the anatomic risk factors for early IOP elevation in highly myopic eyes.

Highly myopic eyes with early postoperative IOP elevation had smaller Schlemm canal vertical diameter and area, as well as smaller trabecular meshwork thickness and width, in each quadrant than the non-elevation group. There was no significant difference in Schlemm canal horizontal diameter between the IOP elevation and non-elevation groups. In the highly myopic eyes, average Schlemm canal vertical diameter, Schlemm canal area, trabecular meshwork thickness, and width were all correlated negatively with the IOP elevation. A multivariate analysis showed that average Schlemm canal vertical diameter (β = −0.262, P = .004) and trabecular meshwork thickness (β = −0.173, P < .001) were significantly associated with early transient IOP elevation in highly myopic cataract eyes.

A smaller vertical diameter of Schlemm canal and a thinner trabecular meshwork are 2 anatomic risk factors for early IOP elevation after cataract surgery in highly myopic eyes.