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Retinal and circumpapillary nerve fiber layer thickness and associated factors in children

Eye volume 35, pages 2802–2811 (2021)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the distribution of macula and circumpapillary retina nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness and other associated factors among grade-1 primary school children in Lhasa using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methodology

OCT assessment was conducted on 1856 grade-1 students from 7 primary schools in Lhasa, Tibet following a successful random stratified sampling of the students. Each child underwent comprehensive general and ocular examinations as well as an SD-OCT detection (12 × 9 mm, 3D wide scan mode, Topcon 3D OCT-1) to assess the thickness of the macula, ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), ganglion cell complex (GCC), and cpRNFL. Multivariate and correlation analyses were performed to evaluate the association of the demographic and ocular variables.

Results

The average age of the 1762 (94.43%) students who underwent OCT assessment was 6.83 ± 0.46 years. Among them, 984 (53.02%) were boys. The number of students who had macular, cpRNFL, and optic disc scans completed and with adequate image quality were 1412 (82.2%), 1277 (74.4%), and 1243 (72.4%), respectively. The average macula full retinal thickness (FRT), GCIPL, GCC, and cpRNFL thickness of the students was 279.19 ± 10.61 μm, 76.41 ± 4.70 μm, 108.15 ± 6.15  μm, and 112.33 ± 13.5 μm, respectively. Multivariate regression and correlation analysis further revealed that boys and girls had significant differences in their average cpRNFL thickness. Moreover, GCC and GCIPL thickness was negatively correlated with IOP but positively correlated with the body mass index. The thickness of all the layers of the macula and cpRNFL were positively correlated with spherical equivalent. Further to this, the average macular FRT, GCIPL, and GCC thicknesses were positively correlated with cpRNFL global thickness.

Conclusion

This study describes the normal distribution of macular retina, cpRNFL, and optic disc parameters in grade-1 Tibetan children in Lhasa. It contributes to the establishment of a normative ophthalmology database of Tibetan children, and advances the ability of OCT in ophthalmic disorder diagnosis during long-term monitoring in plateau.

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Fig. 1: The OCT measurements.
Fig. 2: The average thickness distribution of retina.
Fig. 3: Correlation between cpRNFL thickness and other retinal parameters.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for the support from the Lhasa city government and the Beijing Hoson Foundation for helping organize the epidemiology study.

Funding

The study was supported by the High-Level Health Technical Talent Training Program of Beijing Municipal Health Bureau (2015-3-023); Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (Z171100001017066), the Capital Health Development Special Fund of China-Major Project (SF-2018-1-2051), and Youth Project (2018-4-1083).

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Beijing, China

    Yao Yao, Jing Fu, Lei Li, Weiwei Chen, Zhaojun Meng, Han Su & Wei Dai

  2. Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing, China

    Weiwei Chen

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  1. Yao Yao
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Contributions

JF and WC initiated the study design. WC, YY, WD, and HS prepared the consent form. All authors were involved in the research process and data collation. LL assisted in the collation and analysis of the data. YY and JF drafted and finalized the study protocol. All authors reviewed the study protocol and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jing Fu.

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Yao, Y., Fu, J., Li, L. et al. Retinal and circumpapillary nerve fiber layer thickness and associated factors in children. Eye 35, 2802–2811 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-020-01313-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-020-01313-z

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