Relationship between Age and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Normal Children

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Pediatric eye care
• Retinal imaging analysis

Background:

• Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness is a key indicator in diagnosing various ocular conditions.
• Accurate measurement of RNFL thickness in children is essential for early detection of potential vision impairments.
• Ocular magnification can influence RNFL thickness measurements, necessitating correction for precise interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of age and ocular factors on peripapillary RNFL thickness in children.
• To determine if ocular magnification affects RNFL thickness measurements in pediatric populations.
• To establish normative data for RNFL thickness in children, considering developmental changes.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 198 healthy children under 19 years underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations.
• Fast optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to obtain peripapillary RNFL scans.
• RNFL thickness measurements were corrected for ocular magnification, and correlations with age, axial length, and refractive error were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Uncorrected RNFL thickness showed no significant correlation with age, axial length, or refractive error.
• Ocular magnification-corrected RNFL thickness positively correlated with age and axial length, and negatively with refractive error (SE).
• Age was negatively correlated with the difference between uncorrected and corrected RNFL thickness, particularly in children under 15.

Conclusions:

• RNFL thickness measurements in children under 15 may be overestimated without ocular magnification correction.
• An increase in RNFL thickness was observed in children under 15 when adjusted for ocular magnification.
• Accurate assessment of pediatric RNFL thickness requires consideration of ocular magnification and age-related changes.