Age-associated changes in the inner macular thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness

Abstract

Objective To determine the difference of macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness using Cirrus HD-OCT between older and young people in order to provide information for glaucomatous progressive analysis. Methods A prospective case series study was adopted.Sixty-seven old persons (114 eyes) aged 60-80 years old were selected from retired staff of an institution who underwent routine physical examinations between June and July 2016 in Beijing Tongren Hospital as older group and 24 young persons(42 eyes) aged (20-40 years old) who underwent routine physical examination at the same period were selected as young group.The total superior, superonasal, inperonasal, inferior, inferotemporal and superotemporal mGCIPL thickness and PRNFL thickness were measured by Cirrus HD-OCT.The research followed the Declaration of Helsinki.The ethics committee of the Tongren Eye Center approved the study and all participants provided an informed consent. Results There were statistical differences in all measurement parameters (mGCIPL and pRNFL) between older and young people (all at P<0.05) except nasal pRNFL thickness.Minimum mGCIPL thickness was significantly different between older and young group [ (74.02±11.01)μm vs.(82.74±3.94)μm; t=-7.290, P<0.001], while in the pRNFL parameters, temporal pRNFL thickness was siginicantly changed between older and young group [(70.83±12.30)μm vs.(82.10±17.02)μm; t=-3.930, P<0.001]. The nasal pRNFL thickness showed no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusions All mGCIPL and most pRNFL parameters in older people were obviously thinner than young people except nasal pRNFL, age factor should be considered seriously in the progression analysis of glaucomatous neuropathy. Key words: Tomography, optical coherence/methods; Ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer/diagnosis; Retinal nerve fiber layer; Glaucoma; Macula