J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2019 Sep;60(9):874-880. 10.3341/jkos.2019.60.9.874.

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer and Macular Retinal Ganglion Cell Layer Thicknesses in Healthy Korean Children

• Kim Y
• Hwang YH

• KMID: 2459132
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2019.60.9.874

Abstract

PURPOSE
To measure the thicknesses of the circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in healthy Korean children and adolescents.
METHODS
Circumpapillary RNFL and macular GCIPL thicknesses were measured by OCT in 352 healthy eyes of 352 children and adolescents (child-adolescent group) aged 5-17 years and in 159 healthy eyes of 159 adults (adult group) aged 18-75 years. The difference in RNFL and GCIPL thicknesses between the groups and the effects of age and refractive errors on the measurements were evaluated.
RESULTS
The mean age of the children and adults were 9.7 ± 3.6 and 44.7 ± 15.7 years, respectively. The mean of the average RNFL and GCIPL thicknesses were 103.1 ± 9.2 and 85.7 ± 4.6 µm, respectively, in the children group and 97.8 ± 8.2 and 82.9 ± 4.4 µm, respectively, in the adult group. The child-adolescent group had greater RNFL and GCIPL thicknesses compared to the adult group in all areas (p < 0.05) with the exception of the RNFL thickness in the temporal quadrant (p = 0.555). A thinner RNFL and thinner GCIPL were significantly associated with older age and greater myopia (p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
The mean RNFL and GCIPL thicknesses measured by OCT in the healthy eyes of children and adolescents were 103.1 and 85.7 µm, respectively. Children and adolescents had a thicker RNFL and GCIPL compared to adults.

Keyword

Age; Children; Optical coherence tomography; Retinal ganglion cell; Retinal nerve fiber layer

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Child*
Ganglion Cysts
Humans
Myopia
Nerve Fibers*
Refractive Errors
Retinal Ganglion Cells*
Retinaldehyde*
Tomography, Optical Coherence
Retinaldehyde

Figure

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  Figure 1 Scatter plot presenting the correlation between average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and age (left) and refractive error (right). Older age and higher myopia were associated with thinner retinal nerve fiber layer.

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  Figure 2 Scatter plot presenting the correlation between average macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness and age (left) and refractive error (right). Older age and higher myopia were associated with thinner macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer.

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