Choroidal Thickness, Age, and Refractive Error in Healthy Korean Subjects

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate choroidal thickness (CT) in healthy Korean subjects measured by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography and its association with age, axial length, and refractive error. METHODS: Choroidal scans using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography in each eye of 286 healthy eyes were obtained at the macula. Choroidal thickness was measured at the fovea. Two separate line scans were obtained (one horizontal and one vertical). RESULTS: The mean (±SD) age was 40.18 (±17.89) years (range, 13 to 75 years). The mean (±SD) subfoveal CT was 307.26 (±95.18) μm. Multivariable linear regression suggested that age and refractive error were the most significant factors associated with subfoveal CT (all p < 0.0001) with an adjusted R = 0.181. In subjects younger than 60 years, refractive error or axial length and age retained statistically significant correlation with subfoveal CT, whereas such a relationship was lost in subjects older than 60 years. CONCLUSIONS: The mean subfoveal CT measurement showed the most significant positive correlation with refractive error and the most significant negative correlation with age. For patients younger than 60 years, there was a significant correlation of subfoveal CT with age and refractive error or axial length, whereas such significant association was not observed in subjects older than 60 years.