Quantitative Assessment of Macular Appearance with a Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope in Aging or Diabetic Retinopathy Patients

Abstract

Changes in the macula caused by aging or diabetic retinopathy were studied with scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO). SLO imaging of the macula was done with argon blue, argon green, helium neon, and diode lasers, and the images were recorded on s-VHS video tape. In this study, we examined 29 patients (58 eyes) with no retinal organic change as controls, 8 diabetic patients (16 eyes) without retinopathy, 8 patients (16 eyes) with simple diabetic retinopathy, and 6 patients (12 eyes) with preproliferative diabetic retinopathy. As age increased, the dark area of the macula was enlarged in the argon blue and argon green images. In diabetic patients, the dark area of the macula in patients in their 30 s and 40 s with retinopathy was larger than in diabetic patients without retinopathy (p < 0.05). The dark area of the macula in preproliferative diabetic retinopathy was larger than in patients in their no diabetic retinopathy or simple diabetic retinopathy (p < 0.05). In the 50 s and 60 s, the dark area of the macula in preproliferative diabetic retinopathy was larger than in the controls or in patients with no diabetic retinopathy (p < 0.05). The macular dark area became enlarged with aging. In diabetic patients, the dark area of the macula was enlarged in diabetic patients without retinopathy or with progression in diabetic retinopathy stage. Therefore, quantitative assessment of macular appearance with SLO can be used as a new clinical index.