Macular Choroidal Small-Vessel Layer, Sattler’s Layer and Haller’s Layer Thicknesses: The Beijing Eye Study

Abstract

To study macular choroidal layer thickness, 3187 study participants from the population-based Beijing Eye Study underwent spectral-domain optical coherence tomography with enhanced depth imaging for thickness measurements of the macular small-vessel layer, including the choriocapillaris, medium-sized choroidal vessel layer (Sattler’s layer) and large choroidal vessel layer (Haller’s layer). In multivariate analysis, greater thickness of all three choroidal layers was associated (all P < 0.05) with higher prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (except for geographic atrophy), while it was not significantly (all P > 0.05) associated with the prevalence of open-angle glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy. There was a tendency (0.07 > P > 0.02) toward thinner choroidal layers in chronic angle-closure glaucoma. The ratio of small-vessel layer thickness to total choroidal thickness increased (P < 0.001; multivariate analysis) with older age and longer axial length, while the ratios of Sattler’s layer and Haller’s layer thickness to total choroidal thickness decreased. A higher ratio of small-vessel layer thickness to total choroidal thickness was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of AMD (early type, intermediate type, late geographic type). Axial elongation-associated and aging-associated choroidal thinning affected Haller’s and Sattler’s layers more markedly than the small-vessel layer. Non-exudative and exudative AMD, except for geographic atrophy, was associated with slightly increased choroidal thickness.

Effect of Optical Defocus on Choroidal Thickness in Healthy Adults With Presbyopia

“…Thus, although the changes of 610 lm that we observed are modest when compared with the overall choroidal thickness, they are much more significant when compared with the reported thickness of the small-vessel sublayer (approximately 30 lm) or Sattler's layer (approximately 90 lm). 36 Although the degree of choroidal thinning induced by hyperopic defocus amounted to approximately 10 lm regardless of baseline SFCT or age, the degree of choroidal thickening induced by myopic defocus was weakly and inversely correlated with baseline SFCT. The degree of choroidal thickening appeared to be moderately correlated with age within the age range of our subjects.…”

“…These changes are relatively small compared with overall SFCT (2%-8%), but as with age changes, they may be restricted to a sublayer of the choroid. A recent study of healthy subjects (n ¼ 1992) from the Beijing Eye Study 36 found that the thickness of the subfoveal small-vessel layer (including the choriocapillaris) was 30.5 6 9.8 lm, whereas the thickness of the medium-and large-sized vessel layers (Sattler's and Haller's layers) were 91.6 6 39.0 lm and 155.2 6 65.7 lm, respectively. 36 The Beijing study subjects had characteristics (age 62.7 6 9.3 years; SFCT 277 6 102 lm) similar to the subjects in the present study (age 57.4 6 4.07 years; SFCT of experimental eyes 226 6 72 lm), suggesting that the thickness of the choroidal sublayers in our study would be similar.…”

“…A recent study of healthy subjects (n ¼ 1992) from the Beijing Eye Study 36 found that the thickness of the subfoveal small-vessel layer (including the choriocapillaris) was 30.5 6 9.8 lm, whereas the thickness of the medium-and large-sized vessel layers (Sattler's and Haller's layers) were 91.6 6 39.0 lm and 155.2 6 65.7 lm, respectively. 36 The Beijing study subjects had characteristics (age 62.7 6 9.3 years; SFCT 277 6 102 lm) similar to the subjects in the present study (age 57.4 6 4.07 years; SFCT of experimental eyes 226 6 72 lm), suggesting that the thickness of the choroidal sublayers in our study would be similar. Thus, although the changes of 610 lm that we observed are modest when compared with the overall choroidal thickness, they are much more significant when compared with the reported thickness of the small-vessel sublayer (approximately 30 lm) or Sattler's layer (approximately 90 lm).…”

Prevalence and Associations of Fundus Tessellation Among Junior Students From Greater Beijing

“…According to previous studies, the choroidal thinning in axially elongating eyes led to a decrease in the thickness predominantly of the large-sized vessels (Haller's layer) and medium-sized vessels (Sattler's layer) so that the ratio of the small-sized vessel layer to the total choroidal thickness increased with longer axial length. 23 In addition, axial elongation leads to thinning or compression of the intervascular tissue of the choroid. Thus, which of these axial elongation-related changes in the choroid leads to better visibility of the large choroidal vessels upon ophthalmoscopy, that is an increased degree of fundus tessellation, has remained unclear.…”

Changes of Macular Thickness and Microvasculature in the Fellow Eyes of Patients with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

“…반면 Chung et al [9]은 신경절세포-속얼기층(ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer)을 분 석하였으며, 반대안과 정상 대조군 사이의 유의한 차이가 없다 고 보고하였다. 맥락막두께(choroidal thickness)를 측정을 통해 맥락막 변화를 살펴 본 결과 [10][11][12], 고혈압과 당뇨 같은 전신인 자가 맥락막두께를 증가시킬 수 있다고 보고하였으며 [13,14], 단 안 망막정맥폐쇄에서 망막허혈로 인하여 병변안에서 반대안에 비해 맥락막두께가 증가하는 것이 보고되었다 [10,12].…”