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Background: Diagnosis and follow-up of retinal diseases may be improved if the thickness of the various retinal layers, in addition to the total retinal thickness, is taken into account. Here we measured the thickness of the macular retinal layers in a population-based study group to assess the normative values and their associations., Methods: Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic images (Spectralis®, wavelength: 870 nm; Heidelberg Engineering Co, Heidelberg, Germany), we measured the thickness of the macular retinal layers in participants of the population-based Beijing Eye Study without ocular diseases and without systematic diseases, such as arterial hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, previous myocardial infarction, cerebral trauma and stroke. Segmentation and measurement of the retinal layers was performed automatically in each of the horizontal scans., Results: The study included 384 subjects (mean age:60.0 ± 8.0 years). The mean thickness of the whole retina, outer plexiform layer, outer nuclear layer,retinal pigment epithelium, inner retinal layer and photoreceptor layer was 259.8 ± 18.9 μm, 19.4 ± 3.9 μm, 93.4 ± 9.6 μm, 17.6 ± 1.9 μm, 169.8 ± 18.6 μm, and 90.0 ± 4.2 μm, respectively. In multivariable analysis, the thickness of the foveola and of all retinal layers in the foveal, parafoveal and perifoveal region decreased with older age (all P < 0.05), except for the thickness of the parafoveal outer plexiform layer which increased with age. Men as compared to women had higher thickness measurements of the photoreceptor layer and outer nuclear layer in all areas, and of all layers between the retinal nerve fiber layer and inner nuclear layer in the parafoveal area (all P < 0.05). The associations between the macular retinal layers thickness and axial length were not consistent. The inner plexiform layer was thicker, and the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer were thinner, in the temporal areas than in the nasal areas, CONCLUSIONS: The associations between decreasing thickness of most retinal layers with older age and the correlation of a higher thickness of some retinal layers with male gender may clinically be taken into account.

Purpose: To investigate the progression pattern of myopic maculopathy and associated factors in a population-based study., Design: Population-based longitudinal study., Participants: The Beijing Eye Study including 4439 participants in 2001 was repeated in 2011, with 2695 individuals (66.4%) being re-examined in 2011., Methods: The study participants underwent detailed ophthalmic and general examinations. Using fundus photographs obtained in 2001 and 2011, we assessed the progression of myopic maculopathy in highly myopic eyes with a refractive error ≥-6 diopters in 2001. Myopic maculopathy was differentiated into tessellated fundus (category 1), diffuse chorioretinal atrophy (category 2), patchy chorioretinal atrophy (category 3), and macular atrophy (category 4), with lacquer cracks and choroidal neovascularization as additional plus signs., Main Outcome Measures: Progression pattern of myopic maculopathy., Results: Of 110 highly myopic eyes (70 individuals) at baseline, 39 eyes (35.5%) showed progression observed in 15 of 79 eyes (19%) with tessellated fundus at baseline, in 17 of 24 eyes (71%) with diffuse chorioretinal atrophy, in all 6 eyes with patchy chorioretinal atrophy, and the 1 eye with macular atrophy. Lacquer cracks detected in 2 eyes in 2001 developed into a small patchy atrophy (1 eye) or widened during the follow-up (1 eye). Five eyes demonstrated new lacquer cracks. In binary regression analysis, progression of myopic maculopathy was associated with longer axial length (P < 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 7.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.49-20.4), older age (P = 0.001; OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.10-1.42), higher prevalence of staphylomas (P = 0.03; OR, 24.3; 95% CI, 2.89-204), smaller parapapillary γ-zone in 2011 (P = 0.01; OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.41-0.91), and female gender (P = 0.04; OR, 9.78; 95% CI, 1.06-90.6)., Conclusions: The 10-year progression rate of myopic maculopathy in this elderly Chinese population was 35.5%, increasing from 15 of 79 eyes (19%) in category 1 of myopic maculopathy at baseline to 17 of 24 eyes (71%) in category 2 and 6 of 6 eyes (100%) in category 3. Risk factors for myopic maculopathy progression were longer axial length, pre-existing staphylomata, smaller parapapillary γ-zone, older age, and female gender., (Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To assess the progression of fundus tessellation, color fundus photographs of the participants of the longitudinal population-based Beijing Eye Study were examined. The study included 4439 subjects in 2001 and 2695 (66.4% of the surviving) individuals in 2011. Larger progression in macular fundus tessellation (mean: 0.24 ± 0.48 grades) was associated (multivariate analysis; correlation coefficient r: 0.53) with thinner subfoveal choroidal thickness in 2011 (P < 0.001; standardized regression coefficient beta: -0.37), older age (P < 0.001; beta: 0.22), higher level of education (P < 0.001; beta: 0.09), more myopic change in refractive error (P < 0.001; beta: -0.09) and lower cognitive function score (P = 0.02; beta: -0.05). Larger increase in peripapillary fundus tessellation (mean: 0.19 ± 0.26 grades) correlated with thinner peripapillary choroidal thickness in 2011 (P < 0.001; beta: -0.35), older age (P < 0.001; beta: 0.20), worse best corrected visual acuity (P = 0.001; beta: 0.07), more myopic change in refractive error (P < 0.001; beta: -0.07) and higher prevalence of ever smoking (P = 0.004; beta: 0.05). The increase in macular fundus tessellation, as a surrogate for thinning of the posterior choroid, was associated with lower cognitive function, after adjusting for choroidal thickness, age, educational level and change in refractive error. The findings point to the clinical value of the assessment of fundus tessellation and suggest potential associations between cognitive function and fundus tessellation/choroidal thickness.