Macular measurements using optical coherence tomography in healthy Chinese school age children

To evaluate macular thickness/volume in a Chinese population of primary school children using optical coherence tomography (OCT), and assess its association with age, sex, spherical equivalent refraction (SE), body mass index (BMI), and intraocular pressure (IOP).

Healthy Chinese children (n = 806) from six randomly selected primary schools in Chongming County, Shanghai, China, were enrolled. Comprehensive standardized ophthalmic examinations included visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, IOP, and fast macular scans using Stratus OCT. Mean values for the nine Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) areas, foveal minimum thickness, and macular volume were calculated.

OCT data from right eyes with high-quality scans were evaluated in 720 children (89.3% of total participants; 46.5% boys). Macular thickness and volume were normally distributed. The mean foveal minimum thickness was 140.0 ± 12.3 μm. There were significant differences between the boys and the girls in mean foveal volume (P = 0.023) and sectoral macular thickness in all the quadrants of the inner ring (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001) and temporal outer quadrant (P = 0.009). SE refraction correlated positively with inner and outer macular thickness and total macular volume (P < 0.001) and negatively with central macular volume (P = 0.012). BMI correlated significantly only with outer macular thickness (r = 0.074, P = 0.048). No age- and IOP-related differences were found in the macular parameters.

OCT demonstrated that macular thickness/volume was normally distributed in this sample of Chinese children, with variations in sex and SE. The variables in macular thickness/volume should be considered when diagnosing and monitoring school-aged children with diseases that affect the macula.