Evaluating the factors associated with variability in OCT characteristics of the macula in myopic juvenile

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the associations between macular thickness and volume, assessed by optic coherence tomography (OCT), with spherical equivalent (SE), axial length (AL), gender, age, eye in myopic juvenile.Methods Cross-sectional observational study.One hundred and fifty-four juvenile (age range, 7-18 years) underwent ophthalmic examination.Fast macular scans were performed by Stratus OCT with six 6-mm lines (oriented 30° apart) in a radial spokelike pattern on one randomly selected eye of each subject.Average macular thickness and macular volume was provided for each of the nine regions with outer radii for the central, inner, and outer macular regions being 1, 3 and 6mm, respectively.AL was respectively measured by A-ultrasound.The effects of several factors (SE, AL, gender, age, and eye) on macular thickness and volume were investigated in univariate analyses.Results The retina was thicker at the superior and nasal parafovea compared to the inferior or temporal parafovea.The mean minimum retinal thickness (at the foveola), the central macular thickness and volume had no significant relationship between SE, AL, gender, age and eye (P >0.05).The total macular volume showed direct linear correlation with SE (r=0.273, P =0.001), and inverse linear correlation with AL (r=-0.285, P =0.001).There was significant direct linear correlation between SE and the thickness and volume of inner and outer macula (P<0.05).AL showed inverse linear correlation with the thickness and volume of inferior inner macula and outer macula (P <0.05).Age showed direct linear correlation between the thickness and volume of nasal inner macula, temporal inner macula, nasal outer macula (P <0.05).There was significant inverse linear correlation between the thickness and volume of inferior outer macula and gender (P<0.05).Macula thickness and volume was not significantly related to the laterality.Conclusions As the AL and the myopic degree of eye increase, the macula thickness and volume decrease at the parafovea, instead of the fovela.When we asses the macular sthickness and volume in myopic juvenile.we should consider the inflnence of the refraction.axial length eye. Key words: Optical coherence tomography; Macular thickness; Macular volume; Myopia; Spherical equivalent; Axial length