Interocular symmetry of optical coherence tomography parameters in healthy children and adolescents

Evaluation of interocular asymmetry of optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters is important for the glaucoma and optic neuropathies. This study was performed to evaluate the interocular asymmetry of OCT parameters in healthy children and adolescents. The circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, optic nerve head (ONH) parameters, and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness were measured in 620 eyes of 310 healthy children and adolescents using Cirrus HD-OCT. The interocular asymmetry (right eye–left eye) in the OCT parameters was analyzed. The mean ± standard deviation age was 10.3 ± 3.7 years (range 5–17). The right eyes showed thinner superior quadrant RNFL, thicker nasal and temporal quadrant RNFL, lesser rim and disc areas, and thinner average, superior, and superonasal GCIPL than the left eyes (P < 0.05). The 2.5th and 97.5th percentile interocular difference tolerance limits were − 9.0 μm and 11.0 μm for average RNFL thickness, − 0.21 and 0.18 for average cup-to-disc ratio, and − 4.0 μm and 4.0 μm for average GCIPL thickness, respectively. Interocular differences were found in RNFL thickness, ONH parameters, and GCIPL thickness in healthy children and adolescents. These findings should be considered when comparing OCT parameters between the right and left eyes.