A systematic correlation of morphology and function using spectral domain optical coherence tomography and microperimetry in patients with geographic atrophy

Abstract

Mapping retinal sensitivity to distinct retinal pathologies revealed outer retinal layers, in addition to the RPE, as significant for sensitivity loss. Therefore in GA the RPE loss and the alteration of outer retinal layers should be analysed, which could also provide insight into lesion progression.

The Pathophysiology of Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration and the Complement Pathway as a Therapeutic Target

“…Decreases in retinal sensitivity over time correlate with GA progression, 52 morphological alterations on SD-OCT, 53 increased fluorescence on FAF, 54 and decreases in LLVA. 47 Similar to LLVA, functional mapping by microperimetry reveals greater visual deficits under scotopic conditions in early stages of AMD, and absolute defects once GA has become manifest.…”

Progressing geographic atrophy: choroidal thickness and retinal sensitivity identify two clinical phenotypes

“…This allows the Spectralis software to identify the previous scan location and scan the identical area in further scans. The automatic real-time averaging mode, when activated, allows for adjustment of the recorded frames to obtain averaged B-scans, which enhances image quality by reducing movement artefacts and optimises the signal-to-noise ratio 9. For the purpose of the study a single 180° EDI-OCT line scan (6 mm length, 100 OCT frames averaged) centred onto the fovea was analysed for each study eye.…”

“…The simultaneous recording of confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy and SD-OCT images in one instrument, with an exact topographic overlay during image acquisition, allows for accurate orientation of cross sectional SD-OCT scans at anatomic sites of interest and serial examinations at the same location over time 9. The advent of enhanced-depth imaging SD-OCT (EDI-OCT), which allows in vivo examination of the choroid, has reappraised the interest in choroid in AMD 10.…”

Current therapeutic developments in atrophic age-related macular degeneration

“…In this regard, the recent development of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and polarisation-sensitive OCT (PS-OCT) technologies allows high-resolution structural imaging of the retinal and subretinal layers, providing powerful methods to quantify GA lesion size and grade GA progression. [79][80][81] These new insights in GA morphology using novel retinal imaging strategies are important to design new studies appropriately.…”