Macular Retinal Layer Thickness and Associated Factors. The Beijing Eye Study 2011

Abstract

Background Diagnosis and follow-up of retinal diseases may be improved if the thickness of the various retinal layers, in addition to the total retinal thickness, is taken into account. Here we measured the thickness of the macular retinal layers in a population-based study group to assess the normative values and their associations. Methods Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic images, we measured the thickness of the macular retinal layers in participants of the population-based Beijing Eye Study without ocular diseases and without arterial hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes mellitus. Results The study included 384 subjects (mean age:60.0±8.0 years). In multivariable analysis, the thickness of the retinal layers in the foveal region, of all retinal layers except for the outer plexiform layer in the parafoveal area, and the thickness of the ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer and inner and outer nuclear layer in the perifoveal area decreased with older age (all P<0.05). Men as compared to women had higher thickness measurements of the photoreceptor layer and outer nuclear layer in all areas, and of all layers between the retinal nerve fiber layer and inner nuclear layer in the parafovea area. The associations between the macular retinal layers thickness and axial length were not consistent. The inner plexiform layer was thicker, and the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer were thinner, in the temporal areas than in the nasal areas, Conclusions The associations between decreasing thickness of most retinal layers with older age and the correlation of a higher thickness of some retinal layer layers with male gender may clinically be taken into account.