title: ANALYSIS OF AGE-RELATED CHOROIDAL LAYERS THINNING IN HEALTHY EYES USING SWEPT-SOURCE OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the changes in the choroidal layers thickness with age in a healthy population using swept-source optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data analysis of a subgroup of eyes from a previous single-center, prospective, cross-sectional, noninterventional study. One hundred and sixty-nine healthy eyes were evaluated using swept-source optical coherence tomography. Inclusion criteria were best-corrected visual acuity between 20/20 and 20/25, spherical equivalent between ±3 diopters, and no systemic or ocular diseases. Two independent investigators determined the macular horizontal choroidal thickness (CT) and the Haller's layer thickness across a 9 mm line centered at the fovea. Subjects were divided into five age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 305.76 ± 80.59 μm (95% confidence interval: 294.85-319.33). Mean subfoveal thickness for Haller's layer was 215.47 ± 67.70 μm (95% confidence interval: 207.30-227.86) and mean subfoveal thickness for choriocapillaris plus Sattler's layer was 87.31 ± 40.40 μm (95% confidence interval: 83.38-95.65). No significant differences were found due to gender. Choroidal thickness profile was similar between groups with choroidal thickness and Haller's layer thickness decreasing with age (P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Choroidal and Haller's layer thickness profiles are similar between different age groups. Age-related choroidal thinning is mostly at the expense of Haller's layer.
authors.affiliation: *Ophthalmology Unit, Clínico San Carlos University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; †Department of Ophthalmology, Castilla La Mancha University, Albacete, Spain; ‡Ophthalmology Unit, Pío del Río Hortega University Hospital, Valladolid, Spain; §New England Eye Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts; and ¶Insituto Europeo de la Retina (IER) Baviera, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Medrano
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Flores-Moreno
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Peña-García
authors.forename: Javier A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Montero
authors.forename: Julián
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: García-Feijóo
authors.forename: Jay S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Duker
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Moreno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002829:Choroid / Q000166:cytology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000166:cytology*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D055815:Young Adult