Thicker peripapillary choroid may be associated with behavioral factors in Tokyo’s children
摘要
The study goals were measurement of the choroidal thickness (CT) and investigation of related factors among children. Third-grade students at an elementary school in Tokyo participated in this study. A total of 119 schoolchildren underwent measurements of the axial length (AL), non-cycloplegic objective refraction (SE), and CT. The CT was divided into nine regions: the subfoveal area with a diameter of 1 mm (C0), a 5-mm-diameter circle-C0 (C1), and a 9-mm-diameter circle (C2); each was further divided into four quadrants. The SE, AL, and C0 CT were, respectively, − 1.57 ± 1.56 diopters, 23.39 ± 0.80 mm, and 297.73 ± 57.88 μm. Multiple regression analysis showed that the time spent using a computer was associated significantly with the CT in the C0 and the inferior C2 (C0: β = -0.728, P = 0.028; inferior C2: β = -0.527, P = 0.048), and the reading distance was associated significantly with the CT in the superior and nasal C2 (superior, β = 1.664, P = 0.007; nasal, β = 1.128, P = 0.015). In addition, time spent using smartphones, tablets, or handheld gaming devices was associated significantly with the CT in the superior and inferior C2 (superior C2: β = 0.259, P = 0.018; inferior C2: β = 0.262, P = 0.013). In conclusion, reading distance and time spent on digital devices may be associated with choroid thickness in children.