Manual choroidal thickeness measurements in healthy children. Changes with ages

Abstract

Purpose: : The aim of this study was to assess changes in choroidal development in normal children with no refraction error

Methods: : Forty children age from 4 to 14 ages with refractive error from 0-1.5 aspheric equivalent, and divided in three age groups, were evaluated to assess changes in choroidal thickness during development. Seven measurements were taken in a good quality vertical scan: the first was in a good quality vertical scan through the fovea and the others in 400 microns steps to nasal and temporal sides (4 each side). Measurements were taken using the manual caliper provided by the software of the device, a Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg, Germany).

Results: : Mean (SD) choroidal foveal thickness was 287.17±70.85 for children aged 3-6, 297.14±66.95 for children 7-10 and 314.70±72.07 for subjects aged 11-14 years. Measurements were lower at the nasal edge 256.05±73.29 compared to 283.50±70.93 at temporal one for all the children

Conclusions: : Choroidal development during childhood can be assessed by Spectral OCT using manual caliper. During development mean choroidal thickness increases with age and temporal thickness is higher than the nasal one .

Keywords: choroid • imaging/image analysis: non-clinical • imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound)