Abstract
This study aimed to explore the curvature distribution in the posterior eye among school-aged children using distortion-corrected optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and its relationship with biometric variables and choroidal vascular parameters. We conducted a prospective, observational, cross-sectional study involving 88 children aged 6 to 15 years. After comprehensive ocular examinations, widefield OCT volumes with a 68×68 degrees were captured utilizing a high-speed, wide-field SS-OCT prototype system. The distortion of the captured OCT volume was geometricallycorrected, and Gaussian curvature maps were derived from Bruch’s membrane segmentation lines. The mean curvature was assessed across four square regions of 19×19 degrees each, where axial length (AL), refractive error, age, and choroidal thickness (ChT) were statistically analyzed. Additionally, the entry site of the long posterior ciliary artery (LPCA) into the choroid were assessed from the same OCT volume.
Analysis of 169 OCT images demonstrated bilateral symmetry in choroidal vascular patterns and posterior eye curvature. Mean curvature exhibited asignificant correlation with AL, refractive error, and ChT in the superior, macular, and inferior regions. Conversely, the temporal region showed a weak negative correlation. Notably, a local maximum curvature point was commonly observed in the temporal region for the first time in this study, suggesting a potential reversal of correlation in this area. The rationale for this observation remains unclear; however, the proximity of the local maximum curvature point to the long posterior ciliary artery (LPCA) entry site may suggest a link. Further investigation is necessary to elucidate the origins and implications of these findingsfor ocular development.