In case studies, peer-reviewed papers, and a growing body of real-world practice, the ocular health community is improving patient management with the wider use of ultra-widefield (UWF™) imaging. Like all diagnostic breakthroughs, adoption of UWF imaging has been a long term process, paced by the accumulation of validated clinical experience. But now, more than a decade after UWF imaging was first introduced, the evidence is overwhelming that UWF imaging may have the potential to improve the diagnosis and management of a significant group of ocular diseases and conditions.
UWF imaging technology captures a 200-degree image of the retina – which enables ocular health practitioners to capture peripheral retinal images that can not be captured with conventional imaging methods. Starting with color (red and green) optomap imaging, Optos has systematically extended its UWF-based technology into a multi-modal platform that supports fundus autofluorescence (optomap af), fluorescein angiography (optomap fa) and indocyanine green angiography (optomap icg).
Where does UWF imaging have potential to improve diagnosis and treatment?
Proliferative Sickle Cell Retinopathy (PSR)
In a first of its kind case study1, researchers used multi-mode UWF imaging to examine the vascular changes associated with PSR, a complication of sickle cell disease that impacts the retinal …
Recent research suggests that patients suffering from various systemic disorders may have their disease state impacted by the addition of ultra-widefield (UWF™) retinal imaging to their examination. New research has found that patients with sickle cell disease may benefit from UWF retinal imaging for the diagnosis and management of sickle cell retinopathy (SCR).
Background
Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder in which the body produces blood cells with abnormally formed hemoglobin. Symptoms include anemia, severe and chronic pain, infection, hypertension, hand and foot swelling, leg ulcers, and retinal vascular changes1. Sickle cell disease can also have an impact on vision. Sickle cell retinopathy mainly affects the peripheral retinal vasculature2 as the result of abnormal, sickle-shaped blood cells becoming trapped in the small blood vessels of the eye3. Non-proliferative SCR, characterized by retinal hemorrhage from superficial blood vessels, can cause loss of visual acuity. Proliferative SCR is marked by vascular occlusions that lead to localized ischemia, neovascularization, and in later stages blindness from vitreous hemorrhage or tractional retinal detachment. Patients with sickle cell disease are at varying degrees of risk of developing SCR, but those with the type SC or S-Thal hemoglobin genotypes are at significant risk for developing …