Abstract
ObjectiveTo examine differences in individual retinal layer thicknesses measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) (Spectralis®) produced with age and according to sex.DesignCross-sectional, observational study.MethodsThe study was conducted in 297 eyes of 297 healthy subjects aged 18 to 87 years. In one randomly selected eye of each participant the volume and mean thicknesses of the different macular layers were measured by SD-OCT using the instrument's macular segmentation software.Main outcome measuresVolume and mean thickness of macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), inner nuclear layer (INL), outer plexiform layer (OPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), retinal pigmentary epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptor layer (PR).ResultsRetinal thickness was reduced by 0.24 μm for every one year of age. Age adjusted linear regression analysis revealed mean GCL, IPL, ONL and PR thickness reductions and a mean OPL thickness increase with age. Women had significantly lower mean GCL, IPL, INL, ONL and PR thicknesses and volumes and a significantly greater mRNFL volume than men.ConclusionThe thickness of most retinal layers varies both with age and according to sex. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the rate of layer thinning produced with age.
Highlights
New optical coherence tomography (OCT) techniques are excellent tools for the noninvasive, in vivo, high-resolution visualization of the retina
Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the rate of layer thinning produced with age
Data for the subfields defined in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) have shown that retinal thickness decreases with age when measured at both the pericentral and peripheral ring of the macula.[1,2,3,4,5]
Summary
The study was conducted in 297 eyes of 297 healthy subjects aged 18 to 87 years. In one randomly selected eye of each participant the volume and mean thicknesses of the different macular layers were measured by SD-OCT using the instrument’s macular segmentation software.
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