Central Corneal Thickness, Axial Length and the Thickness of the Lamina Cribrosa in Normal Human Eyes

Abstract

Purpose: : To investigate whether thin cornea and longer axial length are associated with thinner lamina cribrosa thickness in healthy human eyes.

Methods: : Optic discs of the 189 healthy eyes were scanned using enhanced depth imaging spectral domain optical coherence tomography. The thickness of lamina cribrosa was measured on B scan images obtained at the center of the optic nerve head. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the lamina cribrosa thickness.

Results: : The mean thickness of the lamina cribrosa was 387.0±60.49 µm (range: 89.01 to 387.0 µm). Multivariate analysis showed significant influence of older age on increased lamina cribrosa thickness (P=0.012). There was no significant association between the lamina cribrosa thickness and central corneal thickness or axial length.

Conclusions: : In healthy human eyes, lamina cribrosa thickness increased significantly with older age. Neither the central corneal thickness nor the axial length was significantly associated with lamina cribrosa thickness.

Keywords: lamina cribrosa • imaging/image analysis: clinical • optic nerve