They found significant higher levels of MMP-9 in patients with AL compared with patients without AL on POD 3 (2.0 × 105 pg/mL IQR 0.5–5.0 vs. 0.6 × 105 pg/mL IQR 0.3–1.5, p = 0.011). This evidence concerns the gene MMP9 and axial length measurement.