Macular Choroidal Thickness and Volume Measured by Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography in Healthy Korean Children

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the thickness and volume of the choroid in healthy Korean children using swept-sourceoptical coherence tomography. Methods: We examined 80 eyes of 40 healthy children and teenagers (˂18 years) using swept-source opticalcoherence tomography with a tunable long-wavelength laser source. A volumetric macular scan protocol usingthe Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study grid was used to construct a choroidal thickness map. Wealso examined 44 eyes of 35 healthy adult volunteers (≥18 years) and compared adult measurements with thefindings in children. Results: The mean age of the children and teenagers was 9.47 ± 3.80 (4 to 17) vs. 55.04 ± 12.63 years (36 to70 years) in the adult group (p ˂ 0.001, Student’s t-test). Regarding the Early Treatment Diabetic RetinopathyStudy subfields, the inner temporal subfield was the thickest (247.96 μm). The inner and outer nasal choroidwere thinner (p = 0.004, p = 0.002, respectively) than the surrounding areas. The mean choroidal volumes ofthe inner and outer nasal areas were smaller (p = 0.004, p = 0.003, respectively) than those of all the otherareas in each circle. Among the nine subfields, all areas in the children, except the outer nasal subfield, werethicker than those in adults (p ˂ 0.05). Regression analysis showed that age, axial length, and refractive errorcorrelated with subfoveal choroidal thickness (p ˂ 0.05). Conclusions: Overall macular choroidal thickness and volume in children and teenagers were significantlygreater than in adults. The nasal choroid was significantly thinner than the surrounding areas. The pediatricsubfoveal choroid is prone to thinning with increasing age, axial length, and refractive error. These differencesshould be considered when choroidal thickness is evaluated in children with chorioretinal diseases.