Normal Macular Thickness Measurements in Healthy Eyes Using Stratus Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract

Macular edema is a common cause of visual loss. Abnormal fluid accumulation within the retina and a concomitant increase in retinal thickness usually result from the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier. This process can be found in those with diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, uveitis, and other ocular disorders. However, it has been observed repeatedly in clinical practice that the presence of macular edema does not necessarily preclude good vision.^1,2 Nussenblatt et al³ were able to demonstrate that the degree of macular thickening, rather than the presence of macular edema, is significantly correlated with visual acuity. Traditional methods for evaluating macular edema, such as slitlamp biomicroscopy, stereoscopic photography, and fluorescein angiography, are relatively insensitive to small changes in retinal thickness and are qualitative at best.⁴ The introduction of optical coherence tomography (OCT) has enabled clinicians to reliably detect and measure small changes in macular thickness and to quantitatively evaluate the efficacy of different therapeutic modalities.^5-22