Aim: To investigate the variation in the central lamina cribrosa thickness (cLCT), and the central anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth (cALCSD), as well as the central prelaminar tissue thickness (cPLTT) related to age in healthy Chinese subjects.
Methods: A total of 96 eyes from 96 Chinese healthy subjects were recruited. According to age, the 96 cases were divided into three groups: the young group (YG, 18-39y), middle-age group (MG, 40-59y) and older-age group (OG, 60y and above). Lamina cribrosa images were obtained from all participants using radial linear protocol by enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. The cLCT, cALCSD and cPLTT were calculated from the average value of the lamina cribrosa thickness, anterior lamina cribrosa surface depth and prelaminar tissue thickness in the optic nerve head (ONH) centre point and paracentral points (150 µm from the centre point in the horizontal and vertical directions).
Results: For the total subjects, the mean cLCT, cALCSD and cPLTT were 235.18±41.27, 358.02±93.80 and 182.02±92.11 µm, respectively. No statistically significant differences in cLCT, cALCSD or cPLTT were found between gender and different eyes (P=0.27-0.92). The cLCT of the OG was the thickest among the three groups, while the cPLTT of the YG was the thickest among the three groups (P<0.05). Age was positively correlated with cLCT (r=0.42, P<0.001), and negatively correlated with cPLTT (r=-0.24, P=0.02). No significant correlation was found between the age and cALCSD (r=-0.06, P=0.55). And no correlation has been found between axial length and cLCT, cALCSD and cPLTT (P=0.11-0.81).
Conclusion: The impact of age on the cLCT and the cPLLTT should be taken into account when analysing glaucoma and other diseases related to lamina cribrosa.
Keywords: age; lamina cribrosa; normal subjects; optical coherence tomography; thickness.