title: Interocular symmetry in macular choroidal thickness in children.
abstract: Objective. To report interocular differences in choroidal thickness in children using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and correlate findings with biometric data. Methods. This observational cross-sectional study included 91 (182 eyes) healthy children aged 6 to 17 years with no ocular abnormality except refractive error. After a comprehensive eye exam and axial length measurement, high definition macular scans were performed using SD-OCT. Two observers manually measured the choroidal thickness at the foveal center and at 1500 µm nasally, temporally, inferiorly, and superiorly. Interocular differences were computed; correlations with age, gender, refractive error, and axial length were performed. Results. Mean age was 10.40 ± 3.17 years; mean axial length and refractive error values were similar between fellow eyes. There was excellent correlation between the two observers' measurements. No significant interocular differences were observed at any location. There was only a trend for right eyes to have higher values in all thicknesses, except the superior thickness. Most of the choroidal thickness measurements correlated positively with spherical equivalent but not with axial length, age, or gender. Conclusion. Choroidal thickness measurements in children as performed using SD-OCT revealed a high level of interobserver agreement and consistent interocular symmetry. Values correlated positively with spherical equivalent refraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, P.O. Box 110236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Al-Haddad
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, P.O. Box 110236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Lama
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: El Chaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, P.O. Box 110236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Rafic
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4846-6032
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Antonios
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University Eye Center, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Mays
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4365-9038
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: El-Dairi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, P.O. Box 110236, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Baha'
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Noureddin