Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 6, 2025
Application of Optical Coherence Tomography to a Mouse Model of Retinopathy
Published on: January 12, 2022
Thickness of retinal pigment epithelium-Bruch's membrane complex in adult Chinese using optical coherence tomography
Lei Shao1, Qing Lin Zhang2, Chuan Zhang1
1Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Medical Artificial Intelligence Research and Verification Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Purpose:
To study thickness of RPE-BM complex in adult Chinese subjects and its correlation with systemic and ocular biometric parameters.
Design:
Population-based longitudinal study. Cross-sectional study.
Participants:
The population-based Beijing Eye Study 2011 included 3468 individuals with a mean age of 64.6 ± 9.8 years (range: 50-93 years).
Methods:
A detailed ophthalmic examination was performed including spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) for measurement of the thickness of RPE-BM complex. Use Heidelberg software "Heidelberg Eye Explorer" for segmentation and measurements.
Main Outcome Measure:
Thickness of RPE-BM complex.
Results:
In total, 3276 people (6530 eyes) were included in the study. In total, 1844 (56.3%) subjects were female. The mean age was 64.3 ± 9.6 years (range: 50-93 years). The mean refractive error (spherical equivalent) was -0.18 ± 2.04 diopters (range: -22.0 to +7.50 diopters). Mean thickness of the RPE-BM complex at the foveal center was 25.09 ± 3.98 μm (range: 17-37 μm). In multiple regression analysis, subfoveal thickness of the RPE-BM complex was associated with age (p = 0.039; beta: 0.22; B: 0.10 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.20)) and hypertension history (p = 0.038; beta: 0.23; B: 1.96 (95% CI: 0.12, 3.81)).
Conclusion:
Mean subfoveal thickness of the RPE-BM complex was 25.09 ± 3.98 μm in elderly subjects with a mean age of 64.3 years increased with age and hypertension history. The increase in the thickness of RPE-BM complex may play a role in the pathophysiologic features of various age-related ocular conditions.
