Optic disc size and retinal vessel characteristics in healthy children.

Abstract

To characterize the optic disc and retinal vessels in healthy children and adolescents. Fundus photographs were evaluated by digital image analysis in one hundred healthy Swedish children and adolescents (3-19 years). Median optic disc area was 2.67 mm2 (range, 1.93 to 4.39), median cup area was 0.41 mm2 (range, 0 to 1.45) and median neuroretinal rim area was 2.24 mm2 (range, 1.60 to 3.05). The size of the cup and neuroretinal rim increased with increasing size of the optic disc. There were no correlations between the measured variables and age, sex or refraction. The measurements of optic disc size in healthy children, between 3 and 19 years of age, are in accordance with optic disc values found in most studies on adults. The resulting reference intervals may be helpful in clinical pediatric ophthalmology, to facilitate identification of children with abnormal optic disc and retinal vessel morphology.