Retinal Thickness Measured by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in Eyes Without Retinal Abnormalities: The Beaver Dam Eye Study

Abstract

Purpose To examine relationships of age, sex, and systemic and ocular conditions with retinal thickness measured by spectral-domain ocular coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in participants without retinal disease. Design Longitudinal study. Methods Setting Population-based cohort. Study Population Persons aged 43-86 years living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1988-1990. Observation Procedures Retinal thickness was measured via SD-OCT at the Beaver Dam Eye Study examination in 2008-2010. Retinal disease was determined by ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography, or SD-OCT. Main Outcome Measures Retinal thickness from the inner limiting membrane to Bruch's membrane. Results The retina was thickest in the inner circle (mean 334.5 μm) and thinnest in the center subfield (285.4 μm). Mean retinal thickness decreased with age in the inner circle (P<0.0001) and outer circle (P<0.0001). Adjusting for age, eyes in men had thicker retinas than eyes in women in the center subfield (P<0.001) and inner circle (P<0.001). Sex, axial length/corneal curvature ratio, and peak expiratory flow rate were associated with center subfield thickness. Sex and peak expiratory flow rate were associated with retinal thickness in the inner circle. Alcohol consumption, age, axial length/corneal curvature ratio, cataract surgery, ocular perfusion pressure, and peak expiratory flow rate were associated with retinal thickness in the outer circle. Conclusions This study provides data for retinal thickness measures in eyes of individuals aged 63 years and older without retinal disease. This information may be useful for clinical trials involving the effects of interventions on retinal thickness and for comparisons with specific retinal diseases affecting the macula.

Age, Sex, and Ethnic Variations in Inner and Outer Retinal and Choroidal Thickness on Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

“…10 The mean age group of our cohort was 35 years and our results are similar to the normative data reported on people aged 63 years or above indicating similar pattern of normative data across all age groups. 11 Of note, the central subfield thickness in our younger cohort showed standard deviation (19.5-21.7µm) comparable to older individuals (22.3µm). This is important when sample sizes are calculated for clinical trials assessing change in central retinal thickness.…”

“…Our findings of the age-related decline in inner retinal thickness are comparable to those obtained in other studies in healthy eyes. 11 Aging has been shown to be associated with loss of neurons and glial cells in the inner retina. Histologic studies showed age-related losses of 0.3% to 0.6% of retinal neurons per year.…”

Changes of Drusen Number and Central Retinal Thickness in Age-Related Macular Degeneration Patients Over Two Years

“…Although we do not know the reason for such a diff erence, it might be interesting to point out that some earlier researches carried out on healthy subjects also found women to have thinner macula than men. In this context, our result might not be associated to ARMD but rather to being female [22][23][24][25] . Some authors argue that thinner macula in women might be attributed to hormonal changes in menopause and even propose that female gender could be a risk factor for other macula diseases such as macular holes 26,27 .…”

“…Some authors argue that thinner macula in women might be attributed to hormonal changes in menopause and even propose that female gender could be a risk factor for other macula diseases such as macular holes 26,27 . In the Beaver Dam Eye Study, macular thickness in women taking oral estrogen was on average 4 μm greater than in women not taking oral estrogen, although this difference did not reach statistical signifi cance 23 . Th is fi nding may have important implications because difference in thickness between men and women in dry ARMD may have an impact on visual function.…”

Effect of Head Tilt and Ocular Compensatory Mechanisms on Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Measurements by Cirrus Spectral Domain and Spectralis Optical Coherence Tomography in Normal Subjects

“…There are also other factors which can affect RNFL thickness measurements such age, sex, cataracts, axial length/corneal curvature ratio, 16 and head tilt may be additive to these.…”