Ageing changes in retinal outer nuclear layer thickness and cone photoreceptor density using adaptive optics-free imaging

Juliane Matlach; Padraig Mulholland; Marketa Cilkova; Reena Chopra; Nilpa Shah; Tony Redmond; Steven C Dakin; David F. Garway-Heath; RS Anderson

doi:10.1177/11206721221144477

Ageing changes in retinal outer nuclear layer thickness and cone photoreceptor density using adaptive optics-free imaging

Juliane Matlach, Padraig Mulholland, Marketa Cilkova, Reena Chopra, Nilpa Shah, Tony Redmond, Steven C Dakin, David F. Garway-Heath, RS Anderson

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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate age-related changes of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and cone density, and their associations in healthy participants using a modified, narrow scan-angle Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (HRA2). Methods: Retinal cones were imaged outside the fovea at 8.8° eccentricity and cone density was compared to ONL thickness measurements obtained by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) at the same locations. Fifty-six eyes of 56 healthy participants with a median age (interquartile range, IQR) of 37 years (29–55) were included. Results: Median (IQR) cone count was 7,472 (7,188, 7,746) cones/mm ² and median (IQR) ONL thickness was 56 (52, 60) µm for healthy participants. Both cone density and ONL thickness were negatively associated with age: cone density, R ² = 0.16 (F(1,54) = 10.41, P = 0.002); ONL thickness, R ² = 0.12 (F(1,54) = 7.41, P = 0.009). No significant association was seen between cone density and ONL thickness (R ² = 0.03; F(1,54) = 1.66, P = 0.20). Conclusion: Cone density was lower, and ONL thinner, in older compared to younger participants, therefore, image-based structural measures should be compared to age-related data. However, cone density and ONL thickness were not strongly associated, indicating that determinants of ONL thickness measurements other than cone density measurements, and including measurement error, have a major influence.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1434-1442
Number of pages	9
Journal	European Journal of Ophthalmology
Volume	33
Issue number	3
Early online date	2 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/11206721221144477
Publication status	Published online - 2 Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The study was supported by Dr Hans and Mrs Gertrude Hirsch award from Fight for Sight UK to Tony Redmond and Roger S Anderson. Juliane Matlach received funding from Dr. Werner Jackstädt-Stiftung. Pádraig J Mulholland receives support from the College of Optometrists (UK), in the form of a Clinical Research Fellowship. David Garway-Heath is funded in part by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre based at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. David Garway-Heath's chair at UCL is supported by funding from the International Glaucoma Association. The sponsors or funding organizations named above had no role in the design or conduct of this research. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research, or the Department of Health.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.

Keywords

cone imaging
outer nuclear
OCT
imaging
Cone imaging
outer nuclear layer

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Matlach, J., Mulholland, P., Cilkova, M., Chopra, R., Shah, N., Redmond, T., Dakin, S. C., Garway-Heath, D. F., & Anderson, RS. (2023). Ageing changes in retinal outer nuclear layer thickness and cone photoreceptor density using adaptive optics-free imaging. European Journal of Ophthalmology, 33(3), 1434-1442. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/11206721221144477

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abstract = "Purpose: To investigate age-related changes of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and cone density, and their associations in healthy participants using a modified, narrow scan-angle Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (HRA2). Methods: Retinal cones were imaged outside the fovea at 8.8° eccentricity and cone density was compared to ONL thickness measurements obtained by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) at the same locations. Fifty-six eyes of 56 healthy participants with a median age (interquartile range, IQR) of 37 years (29–55) were included. Results: Median (IQR) cone count was 7,472 (7,188, 7,746) cones/mm 2 and median (IQR) ONL thickness was 56 (52, 60) µm for healthy participants. Both cone density and ONL thickness were negatively associated with age: cone density, R 2 = 0.16 (F(1,54) = 10.41, P = 0.002); ONL thickness, R 2 = 0.12 (F(1,54) = 7.41, P = 0.009). No significant association was seen between cone density and ONL thickness (R 2 = 0.03; F(1,54) = 1.66, P = 0.20). Conclusion: Cone density was lower, and ONL thinner, in older compared to younger participants, therefore, image-based structural measures should be compared to age-related data. However, cone density and ONL thickness were not strongly associated, indicating that determinants of ONL thickness measurements other than cone density measurements, and including measurement error, have a major influence.",

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author = "Juliane Matlach and Padraig Mulholland and Marketa Cilkova and Reena Chopra and Nilpa Shah and Tony Redmond and Dakin, {Steven C} and Garway-Heath, {David F.} and RS Anderson",

note = "Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The study was supported by Dr Hans and Mrs Gertrude Hirsch award from Fight for Sight UK to Tony Redmond and Roger S Anderson. Juliane Matlach received funding from Dr. Werner Jackst{\"a}dt-Stiftung. P{\'a}draig J Mulholland receives support from the College of Optometrists (UK), in the form of a Clinical Research Fellowship. David Garway-Heath is funded in part by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre based at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. David Garway-Heath's chair at UCL is supported by funding from the International Glaucoma Association. The sponsors or funding organizations named above had no role in the design or conduct of this research. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research, or the Department of Health. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2023.",

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T1 - Ageing changes in retinal outer nuclear layer thickness and cone photoreceptor density using adaptive optics-free imaging

AU - Matlach, Juliane

AU - Mulholland, Padraig

AU - Cilkova, Marketa

AU - Chopra, Reena

AU - Shah, Nilpa

AU - Redmond, Tony

AU - Dakin, Steven C

AU - Garway-Heath, David F.

AU - Anderson, RS

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The study was supported by Dr Hans and Mrs Gertrude Hirsch award from Fight for Sight UK to Tony Redmond and Roger S Anderson. Juliane Matlach received funding from Dr. Werner Jackstädt-Stiftung. Pádraig J Mulholland receives support from the College of Optometrists (UK), in the form of a Clinical Research Fellowship. David Garway-Heath is funded in part by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre based at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. David Garway-Heath's chair at UCL is supported by funding from the International Glaucoma Association. The sponsors or funding organizations named above had no role in the design or conduct of this research. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research, or the Department of Health. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.

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N2 - Purpose: To investigate age-related changes of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and cone density, and their associations in healthy participants using a modified, narrow scan-angle Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (HRA2). Methods: Retinal cones were imaged outside the fovea at 8.8° eccentricity and cone density was compared to ONL thickness measurements obtained by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) at the same locations. Fifty-six eyes of 56 healthy participants with a median age (interquartile range, IQR) of 37 years (29–55) were included. Results: Median (IQR) cone count was 7,472 (7,188, 7,746) cones/mm 2 and median (IQR) ONL thickness was 56 (52, 60) µm for healthy participants. Both cone density and ONL thickness were negatively associated with age: cone density, R 2 = 0.16 (F(1,54) = 10.41, P = 0.002); ONL thickness, R 2 = 0.12 (F(1,54) = 7.41, P = 0.009). No significant association was seen between cone density and ONL thickness (R 2 = 0.03; F(1,54) = 1.66, P = 0.20). Conclusion: Cone density was lower, and ONL thinner, in older compared to younger participants, therefore, image-based structural measures should be compared to age-related data. However, cone density and ONL thickness were not strongly associated, indicating that determinants of ONL thickness measurements other than cone density measurements, and including measurement error, have a major influence.

AB - Purpose: To investigate age-related changes of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and cone density, and their associations in healthy participants using a modified, narrow scan-angle Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (HRA2). Methods: Retinal cones were imaged outside the fovea at 8.8° eccentricity and cone density was compared to ONL thickness measurements obtained by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) at the same locations. Fifty-six eyes of 56 healthy participants with a median age (interquartile range, IQR) of 37 years (29–55) were included. Results: Median (IQR) cone count was 7,472 (7,188, 7,746) cones/mm 2 and median (IQR) ONL thickness was 56 (52, 60) µm for healthy participants. Both cone density and ONL thickness were negatively associated with age: cone density, R 2 = 0.16 (F(1,54) = 10.41, P = 0.002); ONL thickness, R 2 = 0.12 (F(1,54) = 7.41, P = 0.009). No significant association was seen between cone density and ONL thickness (R 2 = 0.03; F(1,54) = 1.66, P = 0.20). Conclusion: Cone density was lower, and ONL thinner, in older compared to younger participants, therefore, image-based structural measures should be compared to age-related data. However, cone density and ONL thickness were not strongly associated, indicating that determinants of ONL thickness measurements other than cone density measurements, and including measurement error, have a major influence.

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KW - OCT

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Ageing changes in retinal outer nuclear layer thickness and cone photoreceptor density using adaptive optics-free imaging

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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