As medical communities around the globe work to make the transition from treating sickness to preventing it, it’s still not the norm for healthy, asymptotic individuals to receive routine screening exams.

Ocular health is no exception. How often do adults with 20/20 vision and no eye-related symptoms schedule themselves for an optometric exam? That’s especially of concern considering that a number of ocular diseases such as, diabetic retinopathy (DR)¹, open angle glaucoma², age-related macular degeneration (AMD)³, and degenerative retinoschisis⁴, may not present any symptoms during their initial phases. Early detection of these diseases can have a significant impact on courses of treatment and the probability of positive outcomes.

One illustration of how UWF™ (ultra-widefield) imaging can improve the early detection of eye disease are the results of what amounts to an inadvertent experiment in the screening of healthy individuals. Training for Optos users and new Optos technical employees involves hands-on familiarization and instruction on UWF imaging systems. Part of that involves trainees taking color optomap images of themselves.  These training exercises sometimes yield unexpected results:

— Chad, who joined Optos in 2013, is a single parent and at the time of his hire had no history of eye problems. Prior to coming to Optos his full schedule and absence …

The widening use of ultra-widefield (UWF^™) retinal imaging by ocular health practitioners is prompting researchers to address what appears to be a straightforward question: What’s normal? That is, now that UWF imaging is providing a more complete visualization of the peripheral retina, what is the physical extent of healthy retinal vasculature?

It’s not an academic question. On one level, baseline information about the extent and appearance of healthy retinal vasculature is an essential part of clinical practice. But more important, as practitioners use UWF to measure the extent of retinal pathology – for example, in estimating areas of ischemia in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) or retinal vein occlusion (RVO) – it’s critical to measure the portion of the retina that is affected. These estimates need to start with accepted measurements for normal, healthy retinal vasculature, one derived from statistically significant population studies and adjusted for any variations in age, sex, or other characteristics.

New research is giving first indications of the extent of healthy retinal vasculature as well as important population variations. This work is being enabled by recent advances in UWF image processing which allow optomap^® fa (fluorescein angiography) images to be corrected for peripheral distortion. These new processing algorithms – a part of Optos ProView^™ imaging software – create …

A recent report describes a unique, high-value application of ultra-widefield (UWF^™) retinal imaging in the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema, or DME.

There are over 400 million people¹ worldwide afflicted with diabetes and the long-term incidence of DME in this population is estimated at twenty to forty percent². UWF imaging is already impacting the diagnosis and treatment of DME as well as Diabetic Retinopathy (DR), which frequently precedes or is associated with DME. Ultra-widefield imaging is unique in that it visualizes a much larger area of the retina (200°, or over 80%) as compared to conventional techniques that may image 45° or less of the retina. By imaging the peripheral retina practitioners and researchers have shown they can more accurately measure the extent of diabetic retinopathy³ as well as better predict the risk of future progression⁴. UWF is also helping public health initiatives by enabling accurate and cost-effective screening for DR⁵.

This novel application of UWF imaging supports a relatively new therapy for DME.  While the standards for DME treatment are undergoing intense study⁶, corticosteroids are often prescribed if anti-VEGF medications fail to control the chronic inflammation associated with DME. These corticosteroids are administered by direct injection into the eye, a …

At Optos, delivering breakthroughs in pediatric ocular health is a driving vision. Douglas Anderson founded Optos in 1992 with the express goal of developing an imaging technology that could provide early diagnosis of the kind of retinal detachment that ultimately caused his five-year old son, Leif to lose vision in one of his eyes.

Now, almost a quarter-century later, UWF™ (ultra-widefield imaging) technology developed by Optos is transforming the way optometrists and ophthalmologists care for their patients. UWF imaging enables faster, more comprehensive routine exams, increases the cost/effectiveness of telehealth programs, improves the scope and accuracy of screening for diabetes and other eye disease, and makes possible new approaches to managing and tracking treatment.  And, if you’re a pediatric ophthalmologist, UWF imaging is making possible new, better approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

Practitioners treating infants with ROP (retinopathy of prematurity) report¹ that UWF imaging delivers clinically useful, high-quality post-treatment images while overcoming some of the problematic aspects of traditional imaging technology.  The authors observed that a major advantage of ultra-widefield technology is that images can be obtained without placing the diagnostic instrument in direct contact with the infant’s eyes. This eliminates a potential source of post-operative infections. Non-contact UWF imaging — which is generally faster than traditional digital imaging — also …

One of the questions ocular health practitioners ask about Ultra-widefield retinal imaging (UWF™) is about optomap acceptance rates. Will patients really be interested in a new and possibly unfamiliar diagnostic procedure that’s not covered by insurance? It’s the right question, because even a proven technique such as UWF is of limited clinical value if patients are reluctant to authorize the procedure.

Many doctors using UWF imaging report high optomap acceptance rates, leading to improved patient experience, better patient flow, and faster recovery of initial system costs. They’ve accomplished this by engaging their patients on a number of levels.

Explaining the Benefits

One common practice among doctors reporting high acceptance rates is that they take the time to explain to their patients the real medical benefits from incorporating an optomap into their annual examination. While comfort and convenience are also patient considerations, having an engaged and properly trained staff that can explain the medical benefits before, during, and after the exam is more impactful. As one doctor said:

“Explaining the tests you are performing, including high-level testing like optomap, that come with an out-of-pocket expense, need not add significant time to pre-testing. For that small amount of time and effort, …

As the longer, sunny days of summer approach, many people pull a pair of beat-up, dusty sunglasses out of the side pocket of their car door and start wearing them while driving or spending time outdoors. The problem? If you think you’re doing everything you can to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, you may be making a big mistake.

UV Rays – A Year-round Fact of Life

Most people have heard or read that long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays increases the risk of developing a variety of eye-related health problems. Cancer and benign growths on the eye (pterygium, also known as surfer’s eye or farmer’s eye) is associated with increased UV exposure, but of bigger concern are cataracts, which are found in 30 percent of those aged 70 to 74 years of age, and in more than 50 percent of those over 80. UV radiation is known to contribute to the protein breakdown that helps cause cataracts and impaired vision.

But less well understood is the fact that we’re exposed to UV radiation all year-long.

— The two types of UV radiation that present health risks are UV-A and UV-B. They are part of …

Ultra-widefield retinal imaging (UWF™) is helping to identify retinal pathology that could have prognostic value in estimating the risk of some systematic diseases.

A topic of continuing interest in the health community is the use of retinal pathology to predict the risk of systematic diseases such as Alzheimer’s. If retinal pathology with significant prognostic value can be identified and this pathology can be quickly and reliably characterized, there’s the prospect for better and more cost-effective health screening on both an individual and community level. Multi-modal ultra-widefield imaging is beginning to be applied to research efforts that are exploring these correlations in greater detail.

About UWF Retinal Imaging

Ultra-widefield retinal imaging is performed by a specially designed scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) that generates a high-resolution digital image covering 200 degrees (or about 82 percent) of the retina. By comparison, conventional 7 standard field (7SF) ETDRS and fundus camera photographs produce a relatively narrow view (75 degrees or less) of the center-portion of the retina.

The SLO simultaneously scans the retina using two low-power lasers (red – 633 nm and green – 532 nm) that enable high-resolution, color imaging of retinal substructures. The resulting UWF digital image – optomap – is produced …

As the July 4^th holiday approaches, the nighttime skies around the U.S. begin to light-up with amateur fireworks – a kind of opening act for the professional exhibitions to come. What the pretty lights hide is that these do-it-yourself shows are truly hazardous, sending as many as 10,000 people a year to emergency rooms. The vast majority of these admissions take place during the months of June and July.

Inherent Dangers – Painful Injuries

Amateur fireworks are inherently dangerous – the simple act of using them creates hazards for both users and those nearby. Some findings from a 2014 Consumer Product Safety Commission report make this point again and again:

— Fireworks malfunctions – tip-overs, errant flight paths, early ignitions – account for an estimated 26% of injuries. (In one possible malfunction, the report cites a 14 year-old who suffered severe head trauma when a launch tube exploded. He died after nine days in the hospital.)

— Another 13% of injuries had as their root cause that the victim was too close.

— So called “safe” fireworks like sparklers and bottle rockets accounted for 15% of injuries.

— Thirty-six percent of those injured …

The annual eye exam. It’s on everyone’s “to-do” list, but it’s understandable why people tend to put it off – eyesight is something many of us take for granted. Before you push eye exams for you or your family further down the list, consider the following points:

1. Poor eyesight can hurt child development and learning

Babies, preschoolers and students all need good vision and healthy eyes to grow and learn. For babies, it’s an essential part of tracking, grasping and other basic skills that require eye-hand coordination. Preschoolers under five years of age need good eyesight in order to comprehend numbers, colors and shapes. Older children can’t read, write and learn at their grade level without the ability to clearly see the printed page and classroom presentations.

Remember, six out of ten people wear corrective lenses, which means the chances are good that your child will also need them.

Experts suggest that baby’s first eye exam should come at between six and twelve months, (an earlier exam may be needed if there are signs of vision problems). Absent any guidance from your doctor, your child’s next well-check eye exam should come at age three. Once in …

One of the unique features of Ultrawide-field (UWF™) retinal imaging technology is the availability of multiple imaging modalities, including color, fluorescein angiography (FA), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), red reflectance (RR), and indocyanine green angiography (ICG). Facilitating comprehensive examination of the retinal periphery, application of multiple UWF imaging modes can identify pathology that might otherwise be missed with a single imaging modality and/or conventional narrow-field fundus photography.

A recent study, Ultra-Widefield Imaging with Autofluorescence and Indocyanine Green Angiography in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy¹, demonstrates this capability using UWF FAF and UWF ICG in a central serious chorioretinopathy (CSC) retrospective observational case series.

CSC leakage from the choriocapillaris through the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) causes macular detachment, which in turn can cause visual impairment or, in recurrent or chronic cases, blindness. Fundus autofluorescence (which can characterize the health of the RPE) and ICG chorioangiograpy (which can characterize choroid circulatory function) are both used in CSC diagnosis and treatment, but in the past have been limited to conventional, narrow-field views.

Study Subjects and Methods

The study examined 65 eyes (35 patients), all with CSC. Thirty-three patients had chronic CSC, which was defined as persistent/recurrent retinal detachment for more than 120 …