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Normative retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in a healthy pediatric South Asian cohort: a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography study

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Abstract

Currently, the normative values for retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in our population have not been widely studied. Our study aimed to assess the peripapillary RNFL thickness (RNFLT) with Optopol Copernicus REVO80® spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) amongst healthy children and its associations. One hundred eighty-two eyes of 91 consecutive healthy children 3 to 16 years of age with a refractive error ≤ ± 5 D were included after a thorough eye exam including visual acuity, refraction, tonometry, pachymetry, axial length estimation, and slit lamp exam including fundus assessment. RNFLT was measured via Optopol Copernicus REVO80® high resolution SD-OCT by a single experienced observer with 3D disc mode within a circular area of diameter 3.45 mm and the ring further divided into four quadrants: inferior, superior, nasal, and temporal. The mean age was 11.12 ± 3.12 years (range, 3–16). The average RNFLT was 120.13 ± 12.6 μm. The mean superior RNFL was the thickest at 138.21 ± 16.6 μm, next was the mean inferior RNFLT at 137.62 ± 17.2 μm, followed by the nasal 91.61 ± 18.5 μm and then the temporal at 74.58 ± 11.7 μm. No significant differences in RNFLT were noted between the two eyes. The mean RNFLT was significantly higher in males as compared to females, in vertical quadrants and at an average (p < 0.05). No significant relationship was found between the average RNFLT and factors such as age, axial length, corneal thickness, cup-to-disc ratio, intraocular pressure, or refractive error. This study establishes normative values of RNFLT for this subgroup of Pakistani children for the Optopol Copernicus REVO80® SD-OCT device.

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Data availability

The data for this study is available via the Open Science Framework with the DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/EKQMB, and the link is https://osf.io/ekqmb/?view_only=e2b19666a5564e428830a2079ec010de.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Foundation University School of Health Sciences/Foundation University Islamabad/Fauji Foundation Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Sana Nadeem

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SN: conception and design of the study, acquisition and analysis of data, and drafting of the manuscript and figures.

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Correspondence to Sana Nadeem.

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Permission from the “Foundation University Ethical review committee” [FF/FUMC/215-43 Phy/20] was taken previously, which is in concordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Parental informed consent and patient consent to participate in the study were taken prior to evaluation.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Nadeem, S. Normative retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in a healthy pediatric South Asian cohort: a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography study. Lasers Med Sci 39, 30 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-024-03971-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-024-03971-x

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