Choroidal thickness in normal Indian subjects using Swept source optical coherence tomography

Abstract

AimTo determine choroidal thickness in healthy Indian subjects using Swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).MethodsIn this prospective, observational, cross-sectional study; healthy Indian subjects (n = 230) with no history of ocular and/or systemic disorders were enrolled in the study. Choroidal thickness was measured for 230 eyes using SS-OCT. Subjects were divided into six age groups. Main outcome measures were subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and macular choroidal thickness (MCT) up to 3 mm at 500-micron interval from the fovea was measured in eight different quadrants.ResultsThe mean SFCT was 307±79 μm and mean MCT was 285±75 μm. No difference in the choroidal thickness was found among genders. Mean SFCT of the different age groups was 327±68 μm (12–18 years), 364±70 μm (18.1–30 years), 321±78 μm (30.1–40 years), 304±79 μm (40.1–50 years), 283±69 μm (50.1–60 years) and 262±72μm (above 60 years; p <0.001; One way ANOVA). Mean macular choroidal thickness was 305±60 μm, 342±61 μm, 306±72 μm, 282±79 μm, 261±66 μm, 238±68μm respectively (p<0.001; one way ANOVA). A significant weak negative correlation was found between age with SFCT (r = -0.368, p<0.001) and MCT (r = -0.40, p<0.001). No significant correlation was found with refractive error, axial length and ocular perfusion pressure.ConclusionThis study showed that mean SFCT and MCT was 307±79μm and 285±75 μm, respectively, among healthy Indian subjects. Mean CT was found to decrease with age, although there was no difference in CT between genders.

New Insights on Choroidal Vascularity: A Comprehensive Topographic Approach

“…Previous studies have reported sex-wise differences in CT and CV, with males having a higher CT and CV, while a few other studies have not found any significant difference. 2,[23][24][25] The intersex difference of CVI was not significant in our study. This suggests that although CV is higher in males, as reported in one of our previous publications, 2 CVI as a ratio may not be affected due to the proportionate reduction in both the luminal and stromal areas.…”

Physiological changes in retinal layers thicknesses measured with swept source optical coherence tomography

“…Previous histopathological studies of the choroid have shown that choroidal thickness decreases with age; this finding has been confirmed by posterior in-vivo studies [7,14,17,21]. Choroidal thinning on OCT has been associated with ophthalmological conditions such as age-related macular degeneration, age-related choroidal atrophy, axial length, or systemic conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cognitive impairment, vascular diseases or obesity [11,21,22].…”

“…Also, age has been found to be negatively correlated with central choroidal thickness and with central choroidal volume [14], choroidal thickness and volume are also negatively statistically significant concerning the refractive error, and axial length measured with low-coherence reflectometry was also found to be negatively correlated with choroidal thickness and volume. On the other hand, sex has not been found to influence choroidal thickness significantly [15].…”

Choroidal thickness in Waardenburg syndrome

“…Subfoveal choroidal thickness was greater than that reported in the general population, again probably because of pigmentation [ 6 ]. The normal subfoveal choroidal thickness in Indian eyes on SS-OCT has been reported to be 307±79 µm [ 7 ]. Shields et al have reported a slightly lesser choroidal thickness (mean 197 µ) on OCT imaging of the hypopigmented area compared to normal choroid in the fellow eye (mean 243 µ), but the choroidal thickness within the same eye at different areas were not compared [ 8 ].…”