The big picture: ultra-widefield imaging

Consultant ophthalmic surgeon, Vasuki Sivagnanavel, shared how ultra-widefield multimodal imaging can provide valuable insights on retinal disease at 100% Optical (ExCeL London, 24–26 February).

Beginning her presentation, Sivagnanavel emphasised the level of demand that hospital eye services in England are currently facing.

She shared that upskilling optometrists will be a key element of addressing lengthy hospital waiting lists.

“We are looking for a solution and that solution is going to be you,” she said.

Sivagnanavel shared that ultra-widefield retinal imaging can help to identify retinal disease that standard imaging techniques may miss.

She added that the ultra-widefield imaging company, Optos, was created after the founder’s son went blind following a missed retinal detachment.

Whereas standard imaging uses a beam of white light, ultra-widefield imaging uses a laser grid system to scan the retina point-by-point.

Sivagnanavel shared that the different wavelengths of green and red lasers reveal different details.

Outlining common forms of retinal pathology, Sivagnanavel described different risk factors for the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

She noted that the incidence of AMD quadruples for each decade of age.

Smoking cessation as well as the consumption of fish oils and Omega 3 fatty acids are linked to a decreased risk of AMD, Sivagnanavel said.

Physical activity is associated with delayed AMD progression, she added.

Sivagnanavel explained that bilateral geographic atrophy is responsible for 26% of legal blindness in the UK.

She shared that Syfovre has received US Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of geographic atrophy. However, the treatment has not yet received approval in Europe or the UK.

Sivagnanavel observed that there was a significant drop out rate during the Syfovre trial and the drug carried a risk of side effects.