[Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness analysis in children from 6 to 9 years of age].

PURPOSE To establish a database of scanning laser polarimetry (GDx) parameters for children between 6 and 9 years of age and compare the results at each age. METHODS The retinal nerve layer thickness of 116 children from one school was evaluated with GDx and the results were analyzed for each age and for the entire group to determinate the normal range for that population. RESULTS In the global analysis of the software-derived GDx parameters, we obtained a TSNIT average of 59.43 (IC95% 58.41-60.45), a superior average of 71.35 (IC95% 69.99-72.70), an inferior average of 70.08 (IC95% 68.71-71.45), and a TSNIT Std. Deviation of 25.11 (IC95% 24.36-25.86). The results from the analysis for age were similar to the global results. CONCLUSIONS Given the low level of cooperation required, GDx can be used without problem to study the retinal nerve fiber layer in 6-9-year-old children. GDx could provide objective information about the state of development of the retinal nerve fiber layer during this period of life.