Macular choroidal thickness in normal pediatric population measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography

To evaluate choroidal thickness in healthy pediatric population by swept-source longer-wavelength optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).

This was a cross-sectional comparative, noninterventional study. The macular area of 83 eyes from 43 pediatric patients (<18 years) was studied with an SS-OCT prototype system. Macular choroidal thickness was manually determined at 750-μm intervals by measuring the perpendicular distance from the posterior edge of the RPE to the choroid/sclera junction, along a horizontal 4500-μm line centered in the fovea. Three observers independently determined choroidal thickness. Pediatric choroidal thickness was compared with choroidal thickness from 75 eyes from 50 normal healthy adult volunteers (18 years or older).

Mean age was 10 ± 3 years (3-17) in the pediatric population versus 53 ± 16 (25-85) in the adult population (P < 0.001). Mean spherical equivalent was not different (P = 0.06) between both groups. Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 312.9 ± 65.3 μm in the pediatric versus 305.6 ± 102.6 μm in the adult population (P = 0.19). Mean macular choroidal thickness was 285.2 ± 56.7 μm in the pediatric versus 275.2 ± 92.7 μm in the adult population (P = 0.08). The distribution of choroidal thickness along the horizontal line was different for both populations; the temporal choroid was thicker in the pediatric population (320, 322, and 324 μm; P = 0.002, 0.001, and 0.06, respectively), followed by the subfoveal (312 μm) and nasal choroid (281, 239, and 195 μm).

Macular choroidal thickness in the pediatric population is not significantly thicker than that of healthy adults. Differences are more remarkable in the temporal side of the fovea.