Corneal Epithelial Thickness Profile in Healthy Portuguese Children by High-Definition Optical Coherence Tomography

Figures & data

Figure 1 HD-OCT showing the hyperreflective epithelium boundaries, corresponding to tear film and anterior surface of Bowman layer, respectively.

Table 1 Regional Mean Epithelial and Corneal Thickness Associations

	Mean	p-value
Epithelial Thickness (µm)
Central/Paracentral	46.8/45.8	0.01
Paracentral/Midperipheral	45.8/44.6	0.02
Midperipheral/Peripheral	44.6/43.8	0.2
Corneal Thickness (µm)
Central/Paracentral	542.9/558.1	<0.01
Paracentral/Midperipheral	558.1/583.4	<0.01

Note: p-values marked in bold indicates a statistically significant difference.

Figure 2 Representative corneal epithelial thickness map. Numbers represent mean (95% CI for mean).

Table 2 Epithelial and Corneal Thickness Differences Between Opposite Octants

	Paracentral	Midperipheral	Peripheral
Epithelial Thickness
I - S	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
N - T	0.78	0.35	0.41
IN - ST	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
IT - SN	0.38	0.55	0.31
Corneal Thickness
I - S	<0.01	<0.01	—
N - T	<0.01	<0.01	—
IN - ST	1.00	1.00	—
IT - SN	<0.01	<0.01	—

Note: p-values marked in bold indicates a statistically significant difference.

Abbreviations: S, superior; ST, superotemporal; T, temporal; IT, inferotemporal; I, inferior; IN, inferonasal; N, nasal; SN, superonasal.

Table 3 Epithelial and Corneal Thickness Variations Between Gender

	Epithelial Thickness	Corneal Thickness
Central (boys/girls, p-value)
Mean	47.5/46.0–0.03	546.7/538.8–0.21
Minimum	45.2/43.8–0.04	536.4/527.9–0.12
Maximum	50.0/48.1–0.04	560.4/547.0–0.07
Paracentral (boys/girls, p-value)
Mean	46.7/45.3–0.05	651.7/554.2–0.29
Minimum	43.5/42.3–0.13	544.9/534.8–0.19
Maximum	47.8/47.8–0.62	583.2/579.1–0.51
S	45.6/43.4–0.01	569.4/562.8–0.42
ST	45.4/43.3–0.01	559.4/555.7–0.54
T	45.9/44.1–0.02	552.1/544.7–0.40
IT	46.9/45.5–0.10	552.2/544.0–0.27
I	47.4/46.5–0.15	554.5/547.5–0.27
IN	47.3/46.1–0.15	557.3/551.5–0.44
N	46.4/44.9–0.06	562.3/559.8–0.67
SN	46.1/44.7–0.08	568.4/562.7–0.40
Midperipheral (boys/girls, p-value)
Mean	45.3/43.9–0.04	585.6/580.9–0.51
Minimum	42.0/40.9–0.14	561.2/559.8–0.77
Maximum	49.5/47.2–0.05	603.9/603.1–0.87
S	44.3/42.6 - <0.01	595.0/593.4–0.96
ST	43.9/42.7–0.04	582.0/583.9–0.64
T	44.6/43.4–0.68	569.2/568.9–0.99
IT	45.8/44.9 0.13	571.2/564.4–0.45
I	46.4/45.9–0.23	577.6/571.1–0.48
IN	46.1/45.9–0.58	579.7/578.03–0.90
N	45.3/44.7–0.20	582.9/580.7–0.64
SN	44.9/44.2–0.13	584.6/590.7–0.51
Peripheral (boys/girls, p-value)
Mean	44.0/43.6–0.45	—
Minimum	39.4/39.1–0.67	—
Maximum	49.2/48.2–0.65	—
S	42.6/41.5–0.10	—
ST	42.8/41.7–0.13	—
T	43.9/42.9–0.10	—
IT	44.9/44.7–0.81	—
I	45.4/45.1–0.19	—
IN	45.4/44.6–0.20	—
N	44.5/43.8–0.17	—
SN	43.3/42.6–0.16	—

Note: p-values marked in bold indicates a statistically significant difference.

Abbreviations: S, superior; ST, superotemporal; T, temporal; IT, inferotemporal; I, inferior; IN, inferonasal; N, nasal; SN, superonasal.

Figure 3 Representative corneal epithelial thickness in boys. Numbers represent mean (95% CI for mean).

Figure 4 Representative corneal epithelial thickness in girls. Numbers represent mean (95% CI for mean).

Figure 5 Representative corneal thickness map. Numbers represente mean (95% CI for mean).

Figure 6 Representative corneal epithelial thickness map in boys. Numbers represent mean (95% CI for mean).

Figure 7 Representative corneal epithelial thickness map in girls. Numbers represent mean (95% CI for mean).