Choroidal Thickness by Handheld Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography in Term Newborns
Laura C Huang1,2, Hao Zhou3, Alex T Legocki2
1Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA.
Translational Vision Science & Technology
|May 18, 2021
Summary
This study found thinner choroids in newborns are linked to immature foveal development. Further research is needed to explore choroidal development
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neonatal Imaging
- Retinal Anatomy
Background:
- Choroidal thickness is a key indicator of ocular development.
- Normative data for choroidal thickness in newborns is limited.
- Understanding neonatal choroidal development is crucial for early detection of visual impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish normative values for choroidal thickness in term newborns.
- To investigate the relationship between choroidal thickness and various vitreoretinal features.
- To utilize handheld swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) for neonatal macular imaging.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving term newborns.
- Handheld SS-OCT imaging of the macula.
- Automated and manual segmentation for choroidal thickness measurement.
- Analysis of multiple vitreoretinal findings by masked graders.
Main Results:
- Mean foveal choroidal thickness was 455.5 ± 93.9 µm in 59 eyes.
- Choroidal thickness varied across macular locations, being thinnest inferonasally.
- Thinner foveal choroidal thickness was significantly associated with the absence of a foveal ellipsoid zone.
Conclusions:
- An association exists between thinner choroidal thickness and foveal immaturity in newborns.
- Handheld SS-OCT provides reliable normative measurements of choroidal thickness in neonates.
- Further investigation is required to determine the impact of choroidal development on visual outcomes.
