title: Using optical coherence tomography to assess the role of age and region in corneal epithelium and palisades of vogt.
abstract: Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) to observe the morphology and epithelial thickness (ET) of the palisades of Vogt (POV), and to evaluate the role of age and region on these structures.One hundred twelve eyes of 112 healthy subjects were enrolled and divided into 4 groups: A (0-19), B (20-39), C (40-59), and D (≥60 years old). RTvue-100 OCT was applied on the cornea and the limbus. The morphology of the subepithelial stroma underneath the epithelium of POV was classified into typical and atypical types. Maximum ET of POV was measured manually from OCT images.The positive rate of typical POV in superior, nasal, temporal, and inferior limbus was: Group A: 100%, 69.2%, 65.4%, 100%; Group B: 100%, 73.5%, 61.8%, 94.1%; Group C: 95.8%, 41.7%, 37.5%, 83.3%; Group D: 67.9%, 0%, 3.6%, 25%, showing a significant decreasing tendency with age. The maximum ET of POV in superior, nasal, temporal, and inferior limbus was: Group A: 103.5 ± 10.1 um, 89.2 ± 9.7 um, 87.9 ± 13.6 um, 104.7 ± 14.1 um; Group B: 111.4 ± 15.8 um, 85.3 ± 9.9 um, 88.2 ± 8.6 um, 112.6 ± 19.7 um; Group C: 116.4 ± 16.4 um, 82.8 ± 11.6 um, 87.0 ± 11.6 um, 120.0 ± 25.6 um; Group D: 96.3 ± 17.9 um, 73.8 ± 15.9 um, 79.2 ± 16.7 um, 87.4 ± 18.5 um. Age-dependent change was observed. In general, the maximum ET of POV in superior/inferior quadrants was thicker than the other 2 quadrants.Spectral-domain OCT is a useful tool to observe the limbal microstructure and provide invaluable information. Aging and anatomic regions had significant effects on the microstructure of these areas.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei Department of Ophthalmology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Hsinchu Branch, Hsinchu Department of Ophthalmology, Cathay General Hospital Center of Corneal Tissue Engineering and Stem Cell Biology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Hsuan-Chieh
authors: HC
authors: Lin
authors: Teck Boon
authors: TB
authors: Tew
authors: Yi-Ting
authors: YT
authors: Hsieh
authors: Szu-Yuan
authors: SY
authors: Lin
authors: Huai-Wen
authors: HW
authors: Chang
authors: Fung-Rong
authors: FR
authors: Hu
authors: Wei-Li
authors: WL
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002648:Child; D019573:Epithelium, Corneal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016850:Limbus Corneae / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D055815:Young Adult