Reproducibility of Macular Thickness Measurements Using Spectralis OCT in Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration Compared With Healthy Subjects

Abstract

Purpose: : To assess the test-retest variability of central and sectorial macular thickness measurements obtained by Spectralis OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) in eyes with dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD) and in healthy subjects.

Methods: : Macular thickness measurements of 9 standard ETDRS subfields were obtained and analyzed. The repeatability of macular thickness measurements by Spectralis OCT was assessed by examining the intrasession within subject standard deviation (Sw), coefficient of repeatability (CR), and coefficient of variation (CV) in healthy subjects and in dAMD patients.

Results: : Twenty-eight eyes of 28 consecutive patients with dAMD and 26 eyes of 26 consecutive healthy subjects were included in the study. The coefficient of repeatibility (CR) for central macular subfield was 11.0 µm (3.6%) and 10.4µm (3.9%) for dAMD and healthy eyes respectively. CR values ranged from 8.3 µm (2.6%) for the outer nasal to 34.5 µm (11.6%) for inner inferior subfields in eyes with dry AMD, and from 4.2 µm (1.2%) for the outer superior to 22.9 µm (6.9%) for inner temporal subfields in healthy eyes.

Conclusions: : Test-retest variability of Spectralis OCT was overall good for central and sectorial macular subfields for dry AMD patients compared with healthy subjects.

Keywords: imaging methods (CT, FA, ICG, MRI, OCT, RTA, SLO, ultrasound) • age-related macular degeneration • drusen