Pediatric amblyopic eyes have slightly thicker central macular thickness than non-amblyopic eyes

Ophthalmology. 2009;116(9):1604-1609.

Six- and 12-year-old children with amblyopia had slightly thicker central macular thickness than non-amblyopic children's eyes, but were similar to non-amblyopic eyes in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.

The study, comparing macular and nerve fiber layer thickness in amblyopic patients with non-amblyopic subjects, looked at 3,529 children included in the Sydney Childhood Eye Study. Median age of subjects in the study was 6 years and 12 years.

"In children aged predominantly 6 and 12 years, central macular thickness may be increased in eyes with amblyopia, although it is uncertain if this precedes or follows the development of amblyopia," the study authors said. "No differences in peripapillary RNFL thickness were found when compared with normal eyes."

The study also found that amblyopic eyes had greater foveal minimum thickness than normal fellow eyes or the right eyes of non-amblyopic subjects. The thickness difference was greater in amblyopic 6-year-olds, at 6.9 µm, than 12-year-olds, at 4.2 µm.

"Amblyopic eyes also had slightly thicker central macula (1 mm diameter region) in both comparisons, although these differences were not statistically significant," the authors said. "The inner macular ring (outer radius 1.5 mm) was thinner in amblyopic than normal fellow eyes."