Ocular Imaging in Diabetic Eye Disease

Ocular imaging plays a vital role in the diagnosis and management of diabetic eye disease. Stereoretinal photographs are used to grade diabetic retinopathy for research and, in the UK, digital retinal photography is the standard mode of screening for sight threatening diabetic retinopathy. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) provides additional information on the retinal vasculature and is used to plan retinal laser therapy. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) produces detailed cross sectional images of the retina and is increasingly being used in the detection and follow-up of diabetic maculopathy. Ultrasonography (US) is essential for examining eyes where there is an inadequate view of the fundus and is able to identify features of advanced diabetic retinopathy including vitreous hemorrhage and tractional retinal detachment. Ultrasound biomicroscopy only penetrates the anterior part of the eye but it can detect fibrovascular ingrowths at sclerotomy sites following vitrectomy.

Keywords: Diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, macula, maculopathy, retina, diabetes, fluorescein angiography, FFA, optical coherence tomography, OCT, ultrasound, US, eye, macular oedema, edema, cystoid, retinal screening, imaging, fundus photography, early treatment diabetic retinopathy study, ETDRS, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, neovessels, neovascularization, retinal haemorrhage, hemorrhage, NVD, NVE, CSME, clinically significant macular oedema, images, retinopathy, microaneurysms, venous beading, vitreous haemorrhage, exudation, panretinal photocoagulation, laser, ischaemia, fovea, cysts, retinal ischaemia, A-scan, Bscan, fundus autofluorescence, AF, ultrasound biomicroscopy, UBM, HRT, Heidelberg retinal tomograph, Retinal thickness analyser, RTA.