OCT Based Macular Thickness in a Normal Indian Pediatric Population.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Pediatric Eye Care

Background:

• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) offers high-resolution retinal imaging.
• Existing OCT normative databases lack pediatric macular thickness data.
• Accurate pediatric macular thickness ranges are crucial for diagnosing eye conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the normal reference range for macular thickness in pediatric subjects.
• To provide normative data for children aged 5-17 years.
• To support the diagnosis of macular disorders in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

• Recruited 170 children (340 eyes) aged 5-17 years.
• Conducted comprehensive ophthalmic examinations.
• Measured macular thickness using Cirrus HD-OCT with dilated pupils.

Main Results:

• Mean macular thickness: 114.88 ± 14.74 μm (right eye), 113.99 ± 15.62 μm (left eye).
• Macular thickness distribution: highest in the inner macula, followed by the outer macula and central fovea.
• No significant difference in macular thickness between right and left eyes (P = 0.589).

Conclusions:

• Normative macular thickness data for pediatric subjects (5-17 years) were determined.
• This data will assist clinicians in diagnosing macular disorders in children.
• Highlights the importance of age-specific normative data in ophthalmology.