Choroidal thickness in normal eyes measured using Cirrus HD optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Anatomy
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Choroidal thickness is a key indicator of ocular health.
• Accurate measurement of choroidal parameters is essential for diagnosing and monitoring various eye conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of measuring choroidal thickness and area in healthy eyes using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
• To establish normative data for choroidal thickness and area in a healthy population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational case series involving 34 healthy eyes.
• High-definition raster scanning with SD-OCT was employed for data acquisition.
• Measurements of choroidal thickness and area were performed by two independent observers, with statistical analysis for inter-observer reliability and correlation with age and retinal thickness.

Main Results:

• Reliable choroidal thickness measurements were obtained in 74% of the eyes.
• Strong inter-observer correlation was found for both choroidal thickness (r=0.92) and area (r=0.93) measurements.
• Choroidal area and subfoveal thickness showed a moderate negative correlation with age (r=-0.62 and r=-0.61, respectively).
• Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 272 micrometers (SD, ±81 micrometers).
• A distinct pattern of choroidal thickness was observed: thinnest nasally, thickest subfoveally, and thinning temporally.

Conclusions:

• SD-OCT with high-definition raster scans is a viable method for measuring choroidal thickness in most eyes.
• Choroidal thickness exhibits a specific spatial distribution across the macula.
• A trend of decreasing choroidal thickness with increasing age was confirmed.