·AIM:To quantitatively assess the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness(RNFLT)in Chinese subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years old with optical coherence tomography(OCT)and to analyze the characteristics of the variation of the RNFLT parameters.·METHODS:We chose 242 eyes of 121 normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years.After being inquired of medical history and proceeding the routine examination of ophthalmology,which include vision,slit-lamp,ophthalmoscope,intraocular pressure,and optometry,we examined the eyes of the volunteers who met the standards of being examined by OCT.The peripapillary RNFL of all participants was imaged on Stratus OCTTM 3000.RNFLT around the disc was determined with 3.4 mm diameter circling scan,and it was measured and analyzed with the RNFLT average analysis program.The data were analyzed with SPSS 13.0 commercial statistical software.·RESULTS:The RNFLT(μm)of the normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years old in clock type(1-12)were 130.6±24.9,87.3±20.6,58.5±11.9,75.9±15.6,119.6±21.3,155.4±25.5,158.1±21.7,85.8±17.1,65.3±10.5,96.9±15.9,148.4±18.7,143.3±25.9,respectively.The average RNFLT(μm)of those in the superior(S),nasal(N),inferior(I)and temporal(T)quadrant were 140.8±16.6,73.9±13.1,144.3±16.3,and 82.7±12.5,respectively,and Avg.Thick was 110.4±9.3μm.The normative values of Smax,Imax,Smax/Imax,Smax/Tavg,Imax/Tavg,Smax/Navg,Max-Min were 174.9±19.7,184.6±20.3,0.96±0.14,2.16±0.37,2.27±0.34,2.44±0.52,143.1±19.4μm,respectively.The coefficient of variation(%)of the RNFLT parameters of clock type(1-12)of normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years old were 19.06,23.56,20.33,20.52,17.80,16.39,13.72,19.93,16.01,16.42,12.63,and 18.06,respectively.Those in the superior,nasal,inferior,temporal quadrant and the mean of whole circle were 11.84,17.71,11.26,15.15,and 8.43,respectively.Some RNFLT parameters including 2,3,7,10,N,T,and Smax/Tavg had statistically significant differences(t=2.257-3.344,P=0.025-0.001,P<0.05),and the differences among the other 17 parameters were not statistically significant between different gender in the normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years old.Some RNFLT parameters including 4,5,6,7,9 o’clock,I,Smax,Imax,Smax/Imax,and Max-Min did not have statistically significant differences(t=1.706-0.030,P=0.091-0.976,P>0.05).The differences among the other 14 parameters were statistically significant(t=2.242-4.478,P=0.027-0.000,P<0.05)between right eyes and left eyes of the normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years old.Some RNFLT parameters including 1,4,9,N,Imax,and Imax/Tavg had statistically significant differences(P<0.05),and the differences among the other 18 parameters were not statistically significant(P>0.05),between different groups according to age in the normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years old.The variation of the RNFLT parameters in the normal subjects was unequal.Among the 24 parameters,the variation of the Avg.Thickness is the least.Among the 12 clocks,the variation of 7 and 9 o’clock was the least.The variation of S and I was less than N in different quadrant,and the variation of Smax/Navg was greater than others in the remaining parameters.·CONCLUSION:Some RNFLT parameters have statistically significant differences in the following factors:different gender,right or left eyes,groups according to age of the normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5 to 40 years old.·