Age-Related Changes in Tear Menisci Imaged by Optical Coherence Tomography

PURPOSE: To determine age-related changes of tear menisci in healthy subjects and to compare tear variables between age-matched normals and dry eye subjects. METHODS: Anterior segment optical coherence tomography was used to measure upper and lower tear menisci in healthy subjects (n = 197, 8-83 years) and in age-matched dry eye patients (n = 38, 19-72 years). Measured tear variables included the height and area of the tear meniscus. Tear meniscus volumes were calculated based on the cross-sectional areas of the tear menisci and the eyelid lengths. The age-related decrease rates of the tear menisci were also calculated. RESULTS: There were significant negative correlations between age and all tear meniscus dimensions (r ranged from -0.649 to -0.753; p < 0.05) in the healthy group. The rate of decrease for the total tear meniscus volume in healthy subjects was 1.0% per year. Compared with age-matched healthy subjects, the height, cross-sectional area, and volume of the upper and lower tear menisci in dry eye subjects were significantly smaller (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Tear menisci decreased with age in the healthy group. The variables in age-matched dry eye subjects were significantly lower than those in the healthy group.