Intraretinal Microvascular Abnormalities (IRMA)
Intraretinal microvascular abnormalities are shunt vessels and appear as abnormal branching or dilation of existing blood vessels (capillaries) within the retina that act to supply areas of non-perfusion in diabetic retinopathy. These vessels represent either new vessel growth within the retina or remodeling of pre-existing vessels through endothelial cell proliferation stimulated by hypoxia bordering areas of capillary nonperfusion.
