Purpose To study the macular thickness of healthy Chinese people by using spectralis spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis SD-OCT)

Design  Prospective, cross-sectional observational study

Participants A total of 514 eyes from 258 healthy subjects were included, and 258 right eyes were chosen to investigate.

Methods All the subjects were underwent a series of ophthalmologic examination to rule out eye diseases. 258 subjects(age range, 7 to 50)with no known eye disease were enrolled. Healthy subjects were scaned by a single operator. The data collected from both eyes were analyzed by defalt. The subjects were divided into 5 groups by age. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS16.0.

Results All 9 subregions of ETDRS area were no significant statistically(all, P>0.212). The data from the 258 right eyes were chosen, the mean(standard deviation) foveal minimun, central fovea thickness were 215.4±13.6μm, 257.9±19.2μm, respectively, age was not significantly correlated with them(r =0.39, 0.04, respectivley). Age was not significantly correlated with the other 8 subregions of ETDRS area(all, r< ±0.15). The foveal minimum, 4 quadrants of ETDRS inner ring, nasal and temporal outer ring were significant greater in male than in female(all, P< 0.05), but no difference in superior and inferior outer ring(both, P>0.05).

Conclusions Macular thickness of healthy Chinese by using Spectralis OCT has established. Macular thickness differed significantly with gender. In future study of OCT measurement and research, we recommend mode of 1, 3,6mmdiameters of ETDRS area.