Quantification of photoreceptor layer thickness in normal eyes using optical coherence tomography

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the ability to segment and analyze individual intraretinal layers, including the outer retinal complex (ORC; outer nuclear layer and inner and outer segments of the photoreceptor cells), in healthy eyes using images acquired from the latest commercially available optical coherence tomography (OCT) system (StratusOCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA) and from the ultrahigh resolution OCT (UHR-OCT) prototype. METHODS: Thirty-seven eyes from 37 healthy subjects underwent complete ophthalmologic examination using StratusOCT and UHR-OCT. ORC was identified and measured using a segmentation algorithm. RESULTS: For StratusOCT, mean weighted ORC thickness ± SD was 91.1 ± 7.9 μm, and mean weighted total retinal thickness ± SD was determined to be 258.9 ± 10.1 μm. For UHR-OCT, mean weighted ORC thickness ± SD was 96.4 ± 6.3 μm, and mean weighted total retinal thickness ± SD was determined to be 263.4 ± 9.2 μm. There was a higher rate of algorithm failure with UHR-OCT images. CONCLUSIONS: Photoreceptor layer thickness can be calculated by measuring ORC on OCT images using a macular segmentation algorithm. ORC values may serve as a useful objective parameter in determining the efficacy of various therapeutic modalities that target the photoreceptor layer in various diseases.