Relationship between age and the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer in normal subjects

Purpose: To determine if there are any age-dependent changes in the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in the peripapillary area. Methods: Sixty normal volunteers (31 men, 29 women) (120 eyes) whose ages ranged from 23-75 years (mean 48.4 years) participated in this study. The thickness of the RNFL was determined using a scanning laser polarimeter along the peripapillary area with a 1.75 disc diameter and along another ring 0.8 mm away from the disc margin. Results: The thickness of the RNFL was not significantly correlated with age in either of the two ring areas. However, the RNFL thickness ratio of total/nasal area decreased significantly with increase in age in both rings. There was an increase in the difference of RNFL thickness between the right and left eyes of the same individual with aging, in both rings. Conclusions: It was suggested that the RNFL thickness determined along both rings demonstrated almost identically the relationship between age and RNFL thickness in normal subjects. Jpn J Ophthalmol 1999;43:180-185 (C) 1999 Japanese Ophthalmological Society.