The association between macular thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in Chinese children
Jacky W Y Lee1, Gordon S K Yau, Tiffany T Y Woo
1From the Department of Ophthalmology (JWYL, GSKY, TTYW), Caritas Medical Centre; and Department of Ophthalmology (JWYL, JMSL), University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
Insights
Macular thickness positively correlates with peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in healthy Chinese children. This finding suggests a relationship between these key ocular measurements in pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Ophthalmology
- Retinal Imaging
Background:
- Macular thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness are crucial indicators of retinal health.
- Understanding the relationship between these parameters in pediatric populations is important for early detection of potential visual impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between macular thickness and peripapillary RNFL thickness in healthy Chinese children.
- To determine if axial length and spherical equivalent influence this association.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 179 healthy Chinese children aged 4-18 years.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure macular thickness (C1, T3, N3) and peripapillary RNFL thickness.
- Spearman correlation analysis was employed to assess associations, controlling for potential confounders.
Main Results:
- Significant positive correlations were found between temporal (T3) and nasal (N3) macular thicknesses and average, superior, and inferior peripapillary RNFL thicknesses.
- No significant associations were observed between macular thickness and spherical equivalent or axial length.
- The nasal peripapillary RNFL thickness also showed a positive correlation with temporal macular thickness (T3).
Conclusions:
- Macular thickness is positively correlated with peripapillary RNFL thickness in healthy Chinese children.
- These findings contribute to the understanding of ocular development and normative data in pediatric populations.
- Further research may explore the clinical implications of these correlations in various pediatric eye conditions.
Abstract:
To investigate the association between macular thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in Chinese children. This cross-sectional study recruited consecutive cases of healthy pediatric subjects aged 4 to 18 from Caritas Medical Centre in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, from 2013 to 2014. Subjects with only eye, ocular tumors, congenital glaucoma, congenital cataract, congenital nystagmus, microphthalmos, optic nerve or retinal disease, active ocular infections, corneal scars, and severe visual impairment of any cause were excluded. Peripapillary RNFL thickness and macular thickness at 1-mm-diameter fovea center (C1), 3-mm-diameter temporal quadrant (T3), and 3-mm-diameter nasal quadrant (N3) were measured with optical coherence tomography. Best-corrected visual acuity, axial length, and cycloplegic refraction were also recorded. Spearman correlation was used to analyze the association between T3, C1, and N3 with each of the following: average and quadrant RNFL thickness, axial length, and spherical equivalent. In 179 subjects, the mean age was 7.9 ± 3.6 years. There were 90 male and 89 female subjects, all of Chinese ethnicity. The mean spherical equivalent was -0.1 ± 3.1 D and mean axial length was 22.9 ± 1.4 mm. There were significant and positive correlations of the average (T3: r = 0.20, P = 0.04; N3: r = 0.2, P = 0.005), superior (T3: r = 0.20, P = 0.03; N3: r = 0.2, P = 0.03), and inferior (T3: r = 0.20, P = 0.02; N3: r = 0.2, P = 0.01) peripapillary RNFL thicknesses with the T3 and N3 macular thicknesses but not C1. The nasal peripapillary RNFL thickness was also positively correlated with T3 (r = 0.20, P = 0.01). There were no significant associations between the macular thickness (T3, C1, N3) with neither the spherical equivalent (P > 0.2) nor the axial length (P > 0.3). The macular thickness was positive correlated with the peripapillary RNFL thickness in a population of healthy Chinese children.
