Macular choroidal thickness profile in a healthy population measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography.
OBJECTIVE
To determine choroidal thickness (CT) profile in a healthy population using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional, noninterventional study. A total of 276 eyes (spherical equivalent ± 3 diopters [D]) were scanned with SS-OCT. Horizontal CT profile of the macula was created measuring subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) from the posterior edge of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) to the choroid-sclera junction. Three determinations were performed at successive points 1000 μm nasal and five more temporal to the fovea. Subjects were divided into five age groups.


RESULTS
The mean SFCT was 301.89 ± 80.53 μm (95% confidence interval: 292.34-311.43). The mean horizontal macular choroidal thickness (MCT) was 258.69 ± 64.59 μm (95% confidence interval: 251.04-266.35). No difference in CT was found between men and women. Mean SFCT of the different study groups was 325.6 ± 51.1 (0-10 years), 316.7 ± 90.1 (11-20 years), 313.9 ± 80.3 (21-40 years), 264.6 ± 79.3 (41-60 years), and 276.3 ± 88.8 μm in subjects older than 60 years (P < 0.001; ANOVA test). Mean horizontal MCT was 286.0 ± 43.5, 277.7 ± 68.2, 264.0 ± 61.9, 223.4 ± 62.2, and 229.7 ± 66.1 μm, respectively (P < 0.001; ANOVA test). The CT profile was different for each age group.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first population study of CT of healthy eyes across a broad range of age groups using SS-OCT. As has been determined using spectral-domain OCT, CT decreases with advancing age, especially after age 40. There were no differences due to sex. The greatest CT variation takes place in temporal sectors.
Clínico San Carlos University Hospital, Ophthalmology Unit, Madrid, Spain.
Jorge
J
Ruiz-Medrano
Department of Ophthalmology, Castilla La Mancha University, Albacete, Spain.
Ignacio
I
Flores-Moreno
Division of Ophthalmology, Miguel Hernández University, Alicante, Spain.
Pablo
P
Peña-García
Pío del Río Hortega University Hospital, Ophthalmology Unit, Valladolid, Spain.
Javier A
JA
Montero
New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Jay S
JS
Duker
Department of Ophthalmology, Castilla La Mancha University, Albacete, Spain Alicante Institute of Ophthalmology, Vissum, Vitreo-Retinal Unit, Alicante, Spain.
José M
JM
Ruiz-Moreno
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002829:Choroid / Q000166:cytology*; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
SS-OCT; choroidal thickness; healthy population; swept-source OCT