Impact of age, sex and refractive error on conjunctival and Tenon's capsule thickness dimensions by swept-source optical coherence tomography in a large population

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate conjunctival and Tenon's capsule thickness (CTT) in a large healthy population using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), investigating the impact of age, sex and refractive error.

Methods: 630 healthy participants underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. CTT was manually measured in the temporal and nasal quadrants at 0, 1, 2 and 3 mm from the scleral spur using SS-OCT (CTT0, CTT1, CTT2 and CTT3, respectively). These dimensions were then assessed for associations in a multivariate regression model with age, sex, refractive error and anterior scleral thickness (AST). The reproducibility of the CTT measurements was determined in 30 individuals.

Results: CTT dimensions could be measured in 596 cases (94.6%); mean age was 42.6 ± 17.2 years (range 5-86). Mean CTT0 was 199.2 ± 33.8 and 192.9 ± 33.9 µm, mean CTT1 195.4 ± 38.0 µm and 199.9 ± 50.9 µm, mean CTT2 187.0 ± 38.4 and 194.8 ± 48.9 µm, and CTT3 180.5 ± 35.6 µm and 191.8 ± 43.7 µm, for the temporal and nasal quadrants, respectively. No difference in CTT was observed in the nasal versus temporal quadrant (p ≥ 0.106) except for the CTT0 and CTT3 (p = 0.001). Moderate correlation was observed between nasal and temporal CTT (R = 0.472, p < 0.001). In the multivariate model, no influence was observed by sex, refractive error and AST on CTT measurements (p ≥ 0.065). Negative association was observed between age and CTT (p < 0.005). The reproducibility was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient ≥ 0.908).

Conclusions: SS-OCT allows for in vivo CTT evaluation. Our data document a wide range of measurements, showing negative association between CTT and age.

Keywords: Aging; Anterior scleral thickness; Conjunctival and Tenon’s capsule thickness; Eye anterior segment; Optical coherence tomography.