[Relationship between gender and posterior pole choroidal thickness in normal eyes]

To investigate and compare the choroidal thickness between healthy male and female subjects.

Six-hundred and twenty eyes of 310 healthy volunteers with no ophthalmic disease history were recruited, including 152 males and 158 females. All volunteers were subgrouped into Group A to F according to their ages. Enhanced depth imaging choroidal scans were obtained in all eyes by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and choroidal thickness at 1 mm/3 mm superior, inferior, nasal and temporal to the fovea were measured. Choroidal thickness was compared between male and female in the subgroups with different age.

Mean SFCT was higher in 152 males (298.02 ± 101.47) µm than that in 158 females (256.28 ± 90.87) µm with statistically significant difference (t' = 4.853, P < 0.05). Choroid at 1 mm and 3 mm from the fovea were also thicker in the male (t' = 5.050, t = 4.597, t = 5.225, t = 5.363, t = 5.608, t' = 4.239, t = 4.108, t' = 5.589; P < 0.05). In any subgroup from A to E, SFCT in male was significantly thicker than female, after adjusted for refractive error (t = 2.343, t' = 2.163, t = 3.239, t = 2.181, t' = 2.982; P < 0.05). In Group F, mean SFCT in male was thicker than female, but without statistical significance (t' = 0.681, P > 0.05).

Gender was one of the factors that affect the choroid thickness in healthy populations. In subjects under 70, male have thicker choroid than female. This result at least partially explained the gender predilection of macular diseases, such as central serous chorioretinopathy and idiopathic macular hole.