Korean J Ophthalmol.  2017 Apr;31(2):151-158. 10.3341/kjo.2017.31.2.151.

Choroidal Thickness Variation According to Refractive Error Measured by Spectral Domain-optical Coherence Tomography in Korean Children

• Lee GY
• Yu S
• Kang HG
• Kim JS
• Lee KW
• Lee JH

• KMID: 2373472
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/kjo.2017.31.2.151

Abstract

PURPOSE
To assess choroidal thickness (CT) variation according to refractive errors using enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography.
METHODS
Eighty-nine eyes (in 89 children) <±6 diopter were categorized into three groups: hyperopia, emmetropia, and myopia, according to refractive error, and underwent choroidal scans using enhanced-depth imaging-optical coherence tomography. CT was measured at the fovea and at 1 mm and 3 mm nasal (N1 and N3), temporal (T1 and T3), superior (S1 and S3), and inferior (I1 and I3) from the fovea.
RESULTS
Mean foveal CTs were 346.86 µm, 301.97 µm, and 267.46 µm in the hyperopia, emmetropia, and myopia groups, respectively (p < 0.05). CTs at N3 and T3 were 214.59 µm and 318.68 µm, 163.92 µm and 320.79 µm, and 153.93 µm and 295.61 µm in the hyperopia, emmetropia, and myopia groups, respectively (p < 0.05). All CTs in the hyperopia group were thicker than those of other groups (p < 0.05). Fovea was thickest and was significantly thicker than at N3 and I3 in hyperopia (p < 0.05). T3 thickness in the emmetropia and myopia groups was greater than thickness at other areas, particularly the nasal and inferior choroids (p < 0.05). CT was positively correlated with spherical equivalent (p = 0.029).
CONCLUSIONS
In Korean children, CTs were greater in the hyperopia group than in the emmetropia and myopia groups. The temporal choroid was thicker than the nasal choroid, regardless of the refractive error. The thickest location in the hyperopia group was the fovea; however, the temporal choroid was thickest in the emmetropia and myopia groups.

Keyword

Child; Choroid; Korea; Optical coherence tomography

MeSH Terms

Child*
Choroid*
Emmetropia
Humans
Hyperopia
Korea
Myopia
Refractive Errors*
Tomography, Optical Coherence

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Horizontal (A) and vertical (B) choroidal thickness profiles. (A) N3–N1, p < 0.001; N3–F, p < 0.001; N3–T1, p < 0.001; N3–T3, p < 0.001. (B) S3–I3, p = 0.001; S1–I3, p = 0.003; F–I3, p = 0.001; I1–I3, p = 0.014. N3 = 3 mm nasal to fovea; N1 = 1 mm nasal to fovea; F = fovea; T1 = 1 mm temporal to fovea; T3 = 3 mm temporal to fovea; S3 = 3 mm superior to fovea; S1 = 1 mm superior to fovea; I1 = 1 mm inferior to fovea; I3 = 3 mm inferior to the fovea. *p-value <0.05 using post-hoc analysis with least significant difference test in all eyes.

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