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Updated: Sep 21, 2025
Enrichment of Bruch's Membrane from Human Donor Eyes
Published on: November 15, 2015
Increase in Bruch's membrane opening minimum rim width with age in healthy children: the Hong Kong Children Eye Study
Xiu Juan Zhang1, Shu Min Tang1,2, Yu Meng Wang1
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Insights
This study establishes normative values for Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) and minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) in children. BMO-MRW increases with age and is influenced by retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and intraocular pressure.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Eye Care
- Glaucoma Research
Background:
- Establishing normative values for ocular parameters in children is crucial for early detection of eye diseases.
- Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) and its minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) are key structural metrics in glaucoma assessment.
- Limited data exists on BMO and BMO-MRW normative values in healthy pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine normative values for BMO and BMO-MRW in healthy children.
- To identify demographic and ocular determinants of BMO and BMO-MRW in this population.
- To provide a baseline for future pediatric glaucoma research.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study of 1,226 children aged 6-8 years from the Hong Kong Children Eye Study.
- Spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to image the optic nerve head and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (p-RNFL).
- Multiple regression analysis was employed to identify determinants of BMO area and BMO-MRW.
Main Results:
- Mean global BMO-MRW was 345.76±54.08 µm, BMO area was 2.34±0.49 mm², and fovea-to-BMO angle was -5.45±4.36°.
- Global BMO-MRW positively correlated with age and p-RNFL thickness, and negatively with BMO area and intraocular pressure (IOP).
- BMO area and fovea-to-BMO angle associated with axial length (AL), but not age.
Conclusions:
- Bruch's membrane opening minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) increases with age in children.
- The study provides normative values and identifies key determinants for BMO parameters in Chinese children.
- These findings contribute to understanding ocular development and potential early indicators of eye conditions in pediatric populations.
Background/Aims:
To identify normative values and determinants for Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) and the minimum rim width of BMO (BMO-MRW) among healthy children.
Methods:
A population-based cross-sectional study from the Hong Kong Children Eye Study, recruiting 1, 226 children aged 6-8 years. Spherical refractive error, axial length (AL), body mass index and intraocular pressure (IOP) were measured. The optic nerve head and the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (p-RNFL) were imaged through spectral domain-optical coherence tomography, using 24 equally spaced radial B-scans. Global and sectoral BMO-MRW values, BMO area and fovea-to-BMO (FoBMO) angle were calculated. Multiple regression analysis was performed to define the determinants of BMO area and BMO-MRW in relation to demographic and ocular parameters.
Results:
The mean values for global BMO-MRW, BMO area and FoBMO angle among children were 345.76±54.08 µm, 2.34±0.49 mm2 and -5.45±4.36°, respectively. Global and sectoral values for BMO-MRW correlated with p-RNFL thickness (r=0.11-0.35, p<0.001). After adjusting for demographic and ocular parameters, global BMO-MRW increased with age (β=6.4, p<0.001) and greater global p-RNFL thickness (β=1.41, p<0.001), but decreased with larger BMO area (β=-47.46, p<0.001) and higher IOP (β=-1.73, p<0.001). Global BMO-MRW did not associate with AL, whereas both BMO area and FoBMO angle associated with AL (β=0.04, p=0.02 and β=0.31, p=0.03, respectively), but not with age.
Conclusion:
We observed that BMO-MRW increases with age among children. Our results provide normative values and the determinants of BMO parameters among Chinese children.
