Macular choroidal thickness profile in a healthy population measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography

Abstract

Purpose: 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.

Keywords: SS-OCT; choroidal thickness; healthy population; swept-source OCT.