Imaging of the optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer: the effects of age, optic disc area, refractive error, and gender
Christopher Bowd, Linda M. Zangwill, Eytan Z. Blumenthal, Cristiana Vasile, Andreas G. Boehm, Parag A. Gokhale, Kourosh Mohammadi, Payam Amini, Timothy M. Sankary, and Robert N. Weinreb
Christopher Bowd,
Linda M. Zangwill,
Eytan Z. Blumenthal,
Cristiana Vasile,
Andreas G. Boehm,
Parag A. Gokhale,
Kourosh Mohammadi,
Payam Amini,
Timothy M. Sankary,
and Robert N. Weinreb
Glaucoma Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0946 USA
Christopher Bowd, Linda M. Zangwill, Eytan Z. Blumenthal, Cristiana Vasile, Andreas G. Boehm, Parag A. Gokhale, Kourosh Mohammadi, Payam Amini, Timothy M. Sankary, and Robert N. Weinreb, "Imaging of the optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer: the effects of age, optic disc area, refractive error, and gender," J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 19, 197-207 (2002)
We cross-sectionally examined the relationship between age, optic disc area, refraction, and gender and optic disc topography and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurements, using optical imaging techniques. One eye from each of 155 Caucasian subjects (age range 23.0–80.8 y) without ocular pathology was included. Measurements were obtained by using the Heidelberg Retina Tomography (HRT), the GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer, and the Optical Coherence Tomograph (OCT). The effects of age were small and were limited to specific HRT, GDx, and OCT parameters. Disc area was significantly associated with most HRT parameters and isolated GDx and OCT parameters. Refraction and gender were not significantly associated with any optic disc or RNFL parameters. Although effects of age on the optic disc and RNFL are small, they should be considered in monitoring ocular disease. Optic disc area should be considered when cross-sectionally evaluating disc topography and, to a lesser extent, RNFL thickness.
Sylvia Desissaire, Andreas Pollreisz, Aleksandra Sedova, Dorottya Hajdu, Felix Datlinger, Stefan Steiner, Clemens Vass, Florian Schwarzhans, Georg Fischer, Michael Pircher, Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth, and Christoph K. Hitzenberger Biomed. Opt. Express 11(10) 5488-5505 (2020)
Gianmarco Vizzeri, Madhusudhanan Balasubramanian, Christopher Bowd, Robert N. Weinreb, Felipe A. Medeiros, and Linda M. Zangwill Opt. Express 17(5) 4004-4018 (2009)
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Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in superior quadrant ÷ average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the inferior quadrant
Superior ratio
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in superior quadrant ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the temporal quadrant
Inferior ratio
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in inferior quadrant ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the temporal quadrant
Superior/nasal ratio
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in superior quadrant ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the nasal quadrant
Maximum modulation
(Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the thickest quadrant- average of the median 1,500 pixels in the thinnest quadrant) ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the thinnest quadrant
Superior maximum
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the superior quadrant
Inferior maximum
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the inferior quadrant
Average thickness
Average thickness of all pixels in the image outside of the user- defined optic disc margin
Total pixel volume under the ellipse in the superior quadrant
GDx LDF
modulation)
ellipse average)
GDx quadrants are defined as temporal (335–24 deg on unit circle), superior (25–144 deg), nasal (145–214 deg), and inferior (215–334 deg).
Measured within a 10-pixel-wide ellipse 1.75 disc diameters distal to the user-defined optic disc margin.
Table 2
Association between Age (yr) and Optic Disc Area (mm2
), and HRT Optic Disc Parameter Measuresa
HRT Parameter
(%)
Slope
p
Disc Area
Age
0.85
-0.002
0.283
Disc Area
N/A
N/A
N/A
Cup Area below Reference
Age
1.83
-0.003
0.114
Disc Area
48.19
0.5300
<0.0001
Mean Height Contour
Age
0.03
0.0000
0.840
Disc Area
14.64
0.0800
<0.0001
Cup Volume below Surface
Age
3.31
-0.002
0.033
Disc Area
47.43
0.2800
<0.0001
Cup Volume below Reference
Age
3.79
-0.001
0.022
Disc Area
37.54
0.1390
<0.0001
Rim Volume above Reference
Age
2.43
0.0004
0.566
Disc Area
10.47
0.1100
<0.0001
Maximum Cup Depth
Age
6.29
-0.004
0.003
Disc Area
20.78
0.2600
<0.0001
Cup Shape
Age
1.21
0.0005
0.199
Disc Area
1.98
0.0300
0.100
Mean Cup Depth
Age
3.73
-0.001
0.023
Disc Area
25.32
0.1100
<0.0001
RNFL Thickness
Age
1.19
-0.0004
0.203
Disc Area
0.00
0.0000
0.978
RNFL Cross-Sectional Area
Age
0.02
-0.002
0.110
Disc Area
19.41
0.3300
<0.0001
Rim Area
Age
0.02
0.0003
0.868
Disc Area
43.01
0.4700
<0.0001
Cup/Disc Area Ratio
Age
2.20
-0.0010
0.083
Disc Area
25.77
0.1730
<0.0001
Rim/Disc Ratio
Age
2.20
0.0010
0.083
Disc Area
25.77
-0.1730
<0.0001
HRT Classification
Age
4.49
0.0210
0.012
Disc Area
1.99
0.5830
0.099
Reference Plane Height
Age
0.51
-0.0005
0.405
Disc Area
8.7
0.0788
0.0004
all ages included.
Table 3
Mean HRT Parameter Measures (95% C.I.) for Three Different Age Groups and All Age Groups Combined
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in superior quadrant ÷ average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the inferior quadrant
Superior ratio
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in superior quadrant ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the temporal quadrant
Inferior ratio
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in inferior quadrant ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the temporal quadrant
Superior/nasal ratio
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in superior quadrant ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the nasal quadrant
Maximum modulation
(Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the thickest quadrant- average of the median 1,500 pixels in the thinnest quadrant) ÷ average of the median 1,500 pixels in the thinnest quadrant
Superior maximum
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the superior quadrant
Inferior maximum
Average of the thickest 1,500 pixels in the inferior quadrant
Average thickness
Average thickness of all pixels in the image outside of the user- defined optic disc margin
Total pixel volume under the ellipse in the superior quadrant
GDx LDF
modulation)
ellipse average)
GDx quadrants are defined as temporal (335–24 deg on unit circle), superior (25–144 deg), nasal (145–214 deg), and inferior (215–334 deg).
Measured within a 10-pixel-wide ellipse 1.75 disc diameters distal to the user-defined optic disc margin.
Table 2
Association between Age (yr) and Optic Disc Area (mm2
), and HRT Optic Disc Parameter Measuresa
HRT Parameter
(%)
Slope
p
Disc Area
Age
0.85
-0.002
0.283
Disc Area
N/A
N/A
N/A
Cup Area below Reference
Age
1.83
-0.003
0.114
Disc Area
48.19
0.5300
<0.0001
Mean Height Contour
Age
0.03
0.0000
0.840
Disc Area
14.64
0.0800
<0.0001
Cup Volume below Surface
Age
3.31
-0.002
0.033
Disc Area
47.43
0.2800
<0.0001
Cup Volume below Reference
Age
3.79
-0.001
0.022
Disc Area
37.54
0.1390
<0.0001
Rim Volume above Reference
Age
2.43
0.0004
0.566
Disc Area
10.47
0.1100
<0.0001
Maximum Cup Depth
Age
6.29
-0.004
0.003
Disc Area
20.78
0.2600
<0.0001
Cup Shape
Age
1.21
0.0005
0.199
Disc Area
1.98
0.0300
0.100
Mean Cup Depth
Age
3.73
-0.001
0.023
Disc Area
25.32
0.1100
<0.0001
RNFL Thickness
Age
1.19
-0.0004
0.203
Disc Area
0.00
0.0000
0.978
RNFL Cross-Sectional Area
Age
0.02
-0.002
0.110
Disc Area
19.41
0.3300
<0.0001
Rim Area
Age
0.02
0.0003
0.868
Disc Area
43.01
0.4700
<0.0001
Cup/Disc Area Ratio
Age
2.20
-0.0010
0.083
Disc Area
25.77
0.1730
<0.0001
Rim/Disc Ratio
Age
2.20
0.0010
0.083
Disc Area
25.77
-0.1730
<0.0001
HRT Classification
Age
4.49
0.0210
0.012
Disc Area
1.99
0.5830
0.099
Reference Plane Height
Age
0.51
-0.0005
0.405
Disc Area
8.7
0.0788
0.0004
all ages included.
Table 3
Mean HRT Parameter Measures (95% C.I.) for Three Different Age Groups and All Age Groups Combined