Original Article
Analysis of Choroidal Thickness Using Spectral-Domain OCT in Children With Unilateral Amblyopia
Abstract
Purpose:
To compare the subfoveal, parafoveal, and peripapillary choroidal thickness in amblyopic eyes with those of fellow and control eyes.
Methods:
This institutional study involved 114 eyes from 38 patients with unilateral amblyopia and 19 healthy children, aged 6 to 17 years. The cause of amblyopia was identified as hyperopic anisometropia in 17 cases and strabismus in 21 cases. All patients underwent central macular thickness (CMT) and choroidal thickness measurement at seven retinal sites with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Statistical analysis was performed to compare the CMT and choroidal thickness of amblyopic and fellow eyes with control eyes.
Results:
Average CMT was 248.31 ± 24.18 µm in amblyopic eyes, 249.76 ± 26.08 µm in fellow eyes, and 243.65 ± 31.96 µm in controls (P = .604). Average subfoveal choroidal thickness was 394.15 ± 71.03 µm in amblyopic eyes, 356.07 ± 79.93 µm in fellow eyes, and 319.44 ± 87.29 µm in controls (P = .000). The choroidal thickness of the subfoveal area and at 750-µm intervals temporal and nasal to the fovea was significantly thicker in amblyopic eyes than in controls (P < .05). The choroidal thickness was significantly thicker in amblyopic eyes than in fellow eyes only at 750 µm nasal to the fovea. Type and depth of amblyopia did not differ significantly between foveal or parafoveal choroidal thickness (P > .05). There was a significant negative correlation between the nasal peripapillary choroidal thickness and the axial length in the amblyopic eyes (r = −0.37, P = .022). The choroidal thickness in the peripapillary area was not significantly different in the three groups (P > .05).
Conclusions:
This study demonstrated that choroidal thickness can be measured by spectral-domain OCT in children with amblyopia. Subfoveal choroidal thickness in amblyopic eyes was significantly thicker than in control eyes. The amblyopic process may involve the choroid, but not the macula. However, further evaluation is needed.
[J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2015;52(3):159–166.]
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