[Relationship between age and thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer in normal subjects]

We measured the thickness of retinal never fiber layer (RNFLT) in the peripapillary area in 120 eyes of 60 normal subjects. We used a scanning laser polarimeter, or Never Fiver Analyzer (NFA) by Laser Diagnostic Technologies, USA. Measurements were made along the peripapillary ring with the diameter of 1.75 disc diameter (DD) and another one 0.8 mm away from the disc margin. The RNFLT was not significantly correlated with age along The two rings. The RNFLT ratio of total/nasal area significantly decreased with increase in age. There was an increase in the difference of RNFLT between both eyes with increase in age in spite of considerable interindividual variations. The RNFLT values along both rings thus showed age-related changes in normal subjects.