Appearance of Far Peripheral Retina in Normal Eyes by Ultra-widefield Fluorescein Angiography

Abstract

To characterize the appearance of the far peripheral retina of normal eyes using ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFA). Cross-sectional study. This study enrolled 101 eyes with best-corrected visual acuity ≥20/20, with refractive error <3.00 diopters, and without visible retinal pathologic changes under a slit lamp-based condensing lens. The far peripheral retina was detected by UWFA. Ciliary body thickness (CBT) at 3mm (CBT1) and 2mm (CBT2) posterior to the scleral spur was measured by ultrasound biomicroscopy. In the far peripheral retina, granular background fluorescence (GB) appeared in all eyes (100%), a mottled fluorescent band (MB) appeared in 44 eyes (43.6%), and retinal vascular leakage (VL) appeared in 20 eyes (19.8%). According to peripheral angiographic findings, the eyes were allocated into 3 groups: Group 1 (MB- and VL-), Group 2 (MB+ and VL-), and Group 3 (MB-/+ and VL+). Ultrasound biomicroscopy showed ciliary body edema and exudates in Group 3. The mean CBT1 (mm) and CBT2 (mm) of Group 3 were greater than those of Group 1 and Group 2 (0.315 ± 0.037 vs 0.240 ± 0.019 vs 0.251 ± 0.030; 0.571 ± 0.084 vs 0.375 ± 0.051 vs 0.410 ± 0.050, P< .001 for both CBT1 and CBT2). The mean CBT1 and CBT2 showed no difference between Group 1 and Group 2 (P= .575 for CBT1; P= .150 for CBT2). Normal peripheral retinas generally show granular background fluorescence, with or without a mottled fluorescent band.