Abstract
Purpose: :
To examine the normative distribution of macular, retinal nerve fiber layer and optic disc parameters in normal eyes of adolescent children as measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Methods: :
As part of the Sydney Adolescent Vascular and Eye Study, school children in Sydney were tested during 2009 and 2010. Retinal measurements were performed by OCT (Cirrus HD-OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). The exam protocol included assessment of visual acuity, cycloplegic autorefraction and ocular biometry measurement.
Results: :
1054 children had complete data; their mean age was 17.3 years (range 15 to 18), and 49.3% were male. The mean (±SD) central macular thickness was 256.0±19.9µm, and the average thickness of the macular 6mm square was 284.3±12.6µm. The average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) was found to be 99.5±9.6µm. The RNFL thickness for the temporal, superior nasal and inferior quadrants was 69.9±11.2, 124.7±15.7, 74.3±12.8 and 128.8±17.1µm, respectively. The mean optic disc rim area was 1.50±0.30mm2, the mean disc area was 1.97±0.37mm2, and the mean cup-disc-ratio was 0.41±0.17. In analysis adjusted for age, axial length and ethnicity, average and central macular thickness was significantly thicker in boys compared to girls (mean difference 6.0 and 11.0µm, respectively, both P<0.0001). Boys were found to have larger cup-disc-ratios compared with girls (mean difference 0.04, P = 0.0003). However, no significant gender difference was found for average RNFL.
Conclusions: :
This study documents normative values for spectral domain OCT parameters in 17 year old adolescents.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques • retina • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)