Peripapillary choroidal thickness in childhood.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric Ophthalmology
• Optical Coherence Tomography

Background:

• Peripapillary choroidal thickness variations are known in adults with ocular conditions.
• Detailed examination of peripapillary choroidal thickness in children is lacking.
• Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness is also crucial in pediatric eye health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate peripapillary choroidal and RNFL thickness in normal children.
• To analyze variations based on refractive error, specifically myopia.
• To establish normal thickness parameters in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).
• Measured peripapillary choroidal and RNFL thickness in 93 children (11-16 years).
• Analyzed thickness across concentric annuli and sectors around the optic nerve head.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in peripapillary choroidal thickness were found with location and sector.
• Myopic children exhibited thinner choroids in nasal and temporal sectors.
• RNFL thickness also varied significantly with location and refractive error.

Conclusions:

• Established normal peripapillary choroidal thickness variations in children.
• Observed significant peripapillary choroidal thinning associated with childhood myopia.
• Findings suggest tissue redistribution during myopic axial elongation in children.