title: Variation in optic nerve and macular structure with age and race with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of age and race on optic disc, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and macular measurements with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifty adult subjects without ocular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from SD OCT imaging of the optic nerve head, peripapillary RNFL, and macula of 632 eyes from 350 subjects without ocular disease were imaged with SD OCT. Multivariate models were used to determine the effect of age and race on quantitative measurements of optic disc, RNFL, and macula.
  
  
  METHODS
  Optic nerve, RNFL, and macular measurements with SD OCT across racial strata and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For optic nerve parameters, participants of European descent had significantly smaller optic disc area than other groups (P<0.0001), and Indian participants had significantly smaller rim area than other groups (P<0.0001). Indian and Hispanic participants had thicker global RNFL measurements than other groups (P<0.0001). Participants of African descent were associated with thinner inner retinal thickness in the macula (P<0.0001). Age was associated with several parameters, with rim area reducing by 0.005 mm(2)/year, RNFL thickness reducing by 0.18 μm/year, and inner retinal thickness reducing by 0.1 μm/year (P<0.0001 for all age associations).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Optic nerve, RNFL, and macular measurements with SD OCT all varied across racial groups and with age. These differences are important in defining the range of normal variation in differing populations and should be considered in the use of these instruments in the detection of optic nerve and macular disease across these population groups.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, USA. cgirkin@uab.edu
authors: Christopher A
authors: CA
authors: Girkin
authors: Gerald
authors: G
authors: McGwin
authors: Micheal J
authors: MJ
authors: Sinai
authors: G Chandra
authors: GC
authors: Sekhar
authors: Murrey
authors: M
authors: Fingeret
authors: Gadi
authors: G
authors: Wollstein
authors: Rohit
authors: R
authors: Varma
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Greenfield
authors: Jeffery
authors: J
authors: Liebmann
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Araie
authors: Goji
authors: G
authors: Tomita
authors: Naoyuki
authors: N
authors: Maeda
authors: David F
authors: DF
authors: Garway-Heath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D044469:Racial Groups; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult