Application of new fundus imaging in diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common causes of visual impairment and blindness in diabetic patients. It is particularly important to set up simpler, safer, non-invasive and highly effective methods for diagnosis as well as monitoring DR. A variety of new fundus imaging techniques show great advantages in early diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of DR in recent years. The main characteristics of wide-field scanning laser imaging system is achieving a large range of retinal image in a single photograph and without mydriasis. It provides several options for color images, FFA and FAF, which satisfy to detect the retina, choroid and vascular structure. Multi spectral fundus imaging system is suitable for DR screening, because it is able to recognize the typical characteristics of DR, such as microaneurysms, hemorrhage and exudation, and is non-invasive and convenient. OCT angiography is a quantitative examination that provides foveal avascular zone area, macular blood flow density, which provides strong evidence for DR diagnosis. The improvement of these new techniques will help us to build up a personalized evaluation system of DR. Key words: Diabetic retinopathy/diagnosis; Ophthalmoscopy; Microscopy, confocal; Tomography, optical coherence; Color fundus photography