Wu Jiali, Wang Ning
Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Ophthalmol Sci. 2025 Jul 1;5(6):100869. doi: 10.1016/j.xops.2025.100869. eCollection 2025 Nov-Dec.
The purpose of this study was to investigate choroidal structural and vascular characteristics in children aged 3 to 16 years using OCT angiography (OCTA) and to explore their associations with refractive status, axial length (AL), and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).
Cross sectional observational study.
A total of 656 eyes (360 children) were included in this study, comprising 143 myopic eyes, 151 emmetropic eyes, and 362 hyperopic eyes.
Ocular biometric measurements, including BCVA, AL, and spherical equivalent (SE) were recorded. Choroidal metrics, including choroidal thickness (ChT), choriocapillaris perfusion (CC), choroidal vascularity index (CVI), choroidal vessel volume (CVV) and choroidal perfusion (CP) were derived from OCTA imaging. Statistical analyses included trend analysis by age, linear regression for AL and OCTA parameter correlations, and group comparisons (hyperopia vs. emmetropia vs. myopia).
Primary outcomes were choroidal parameters and their correlations with AL and BCVA.
In this cohort, mean age was 6.9 ± 2.4 years old. Mean BCVA was 0.06 ± 0.09, and SE was 1.22 ± 2.44 diopters. Axial length ranged from 18.95 to 25.95 mm. The mean ChT was 358 ± 82 μm. Mean CC was 0.68 ± 0.09 mm and mean CP was 0.79 ± 0.01 mm. Mean CVI was 36% ± 7%, and CVV was 0.09 ± 0.02 mm. Choroidal thickness and CVV were negatively correlated with AL, whereas CVI increased with AL elongation. Choroidal vascularity index value was lower in hyperopic group than emmetropic and myopic groups (34 ± 8% vs. 37±5% vs. 37±%), whereas CVV was highest in hyperopic group (0.10 ± 0.03 vs. 0.09 ± 0.02 vs. 0.08 ± 0.02). Stepwise linear regression revealed a statistically significant inverse association between CP and BCVA (β = -0.115, = 0.045), after adjusting for age, SE, AL, and gender.
Choroidal parameters exhibited distinct developmental patterns and strong associations with refractive status and AL elongation in children during growth. Choroidal perfusion independently correlates with visual acuity. These findings highlight the choroid's role in pediatric ocular development and suggest its utility in monitoring myopia progression.
The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
本研究旨在利用光学相干断层扫描血管造影（OCTA）研究3至16岁儿童的脉络膜结构和血管特征，并探讨它们与屈光状态、眼轴长度（AL）和最佳矫正视力（BCVA）的关系。
横断面观察性研究。
本研究共纳入656只眼（360名儿童），包括143只近视眼、151只正视眼和362只远视眼。
记录眼部生物测量数据，包括BCVA、AL和等效球镜度（SE）。脉络膜指标，包括脉络膜厚度（ChT）、脉络膜毛细血管灌注（CC）、脉络膜血管指数（CVI）、脉络膜血管体积（CVV）和脉络膜灌注（CP），均来自OCTA成像。统计分析包括按年龄进行趋势分析、AL与OCTA参数相关性的线性回归以及组间比较（远视与正视与近视）。
主要观察指标为脉络膜参数及其与AL和BCVA的相关性。
在该队列中，平均年龄为6.9±2.4岁。平均BCVA为0.06±0.09，SE为1.22±2.44屈光度。眼轴长度范围为18.95至25.95毫米。平均ChT为358±82μm。平均CC为0.68±0.09毫米，平均CP为0.79±0.01毫米。平均CVI为36%±7%，CVV为0.09±0.02毫米。脉络膜厚度和CVV与AL呈负相关，而CVI随着AL延长而增加。远视组的脉络膜血管指数值低于正视组和近视组（34±8%对37±5%对37±%），而CVV在远视组中最高（0.10±0.03对0.09±0.02对0.08±0.02）。逐步线性回归显示，在调整年龄、SE、AL和性别后，CP与BCVA之间存在统计学显著的负相关（β=-0.115，P=0.045）。
脉络膜参数在儿童生长发育过程中呈现出独特的发育模式，并与屈光状态和AL延长密切相关。脉络膜灌注与视力独立相关。这些发现突出了脉络膜在儿童眼部发育中的作用，并表明其在监测近视进展方面的实用性。
作者对本文讨论的任何材料均无所有权或商业利益。
