OCT Angiography:
Detects Retinal Disease Before It’s Too Late
What if your doctor could detect abnormalities in your retina before they became problematic without using an intravenous fluorescein dye? Think it sounds too good to be true? Think again.
Thanks to optical coherence tomography angiography, or OCT angiography, doctors can now visualize some of the most common retinal diseases associated with blindness, without the use of fluorescein (FA) or indocyanine green (ICG) dyes. That means a less invasive procedure for you and more comprehensive results for your doctor. It’s a win-win all around.
What is Angiography?
In short, angiography is an examination of blood or lymph vessels that is performed via using a dye.
When it comes to examining the blood vessels in the eye fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICG) were once the only options available to doctors. Both of these imaging techniques required the use of intravenous dye injections. Common (FA) and (ICG) angiogram side effects included nausea, vomiting, headache, fainting and low blood pressure due to the invasive properties of the dyes.
The limitations associated with (FA) and (ICG) angiography led doctors to perform these tests only to determine critical diagnosis of sight-threatening complications due to diabetic retinopathy (DR), age related macular degeneration (AMD) and other retinal vascular diseases. It was not used during routine screenings or for early diagnosis.
An OCT angiography removes the invasive properties associated with the dye injections and serves as a non-invasive imaging technique. This means that it can be used as a part of a routine screening exam to detect early signs of vascular abnormalities and again during follow up exams in order to evaluate the progress of treatments of these abnormalities.
The Enhanced Benefits of OCT Angiography
Since OCT angiography offers a less invasive method for doctors to attain visual representation of your eyes’ health, an OCT test can be performed quicker, without side effects and with more accuracy than an (FA) or (ICG) angiogram.
The negative side effects associated with (FA) and (ICG) angiography are caused by the use of intravenous dye to obtain contrast against the veins within the eye. An OCT angiography removes the use of these dyes and thus removes any negative side effects they may cause.
The image obtained through OCT testing measures flow rather than leakage. Using the motion of blood cells as the contrast against the veins in the eyes eliminates the risk of dye leakage and thus the accuracy of the image is improved.
In addition to an OCT angiography providing your doctor with a faster and more accurate way to obtain the images and information they need to assess vascular abnormalities and retinal diseases, it also allows these tests to be performed more often than an (FA) or (ICG) angiography. That means that your doctor is better equipped to detect early signs of vascular abnormalities before they become costly health concerns. In finding these abnormalities sooner, your doctor will also be able to treat the condition to prevent it from worsening and follow the progression of any disease that may manifest. With the ability to respond to these conditions in a more timely manner both you and your doctor are able to prevent unpleasant surprises from late (or unexpected) vascular findings. These tests can also be used to determine the effectiveness of any treatment plan your doctor may put you on.
In House OCT Angiography
Here at Carim Eye & Retina Center LTD nothing is more important to us than the health of our patients, which is why we offer in house OCT angiography. In fact, we take great pride in the fact that we are the only Ophthalmic Practice in the area with the technology to perform these examinations. Our commitment to continuing education and clinical research is reflected through our state of the art technologies and personalized care.
We specialize in comprehensive eye exams, macular degeneration, retinal detachments, diabetic retinopathy, cataract surgery and glaucoma. It is our belief that achieving the most comprehensive health of the eyes is done by monitoring the health of the eyes throughout all stages of life. Our friendly staff of Ophthalmologists and Optometrists are highly trained and experienced in helping our patients achieve and maintain retinal health as well as detect and treat vascular abnormalities when necessary.
The only way to treat retinal diseases is to first discover that they exist, and the best way to do that is through an OCT angiography. Don’t wait until it’s too late and the risk of blindness is upon you. Take matters into your own hands and ask us about scheduling an OCT angiography for yourself today, for prevention is the best medicine.
References:
An Introduction to OCT Angiography. Dir. SriniVas Sadda. Healio Ocular Surgery News. N.p., 13 Apr. 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
De Carlo, Talisa E., Andre Romano, Nadia K. Waheed, and Jay S. Duker. “A Review of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA).” International Journal of Retina and Vitreous. N.p., 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
“New Views of Retina With OCT Angiography.” American Academy of Ophthalmology. N.p., 01 July 2015. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
“What Is OCT Angiography?” OCT Angiography Summit. N.p., 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
Worley, Susan. “The Promise of OCT Angiography.” Retinal Physician. N.p., 1 Apr. 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
Yu, Shanshan, Jing Lu, Di Cao, Ruyuan Liu, Bingqian Liu, Tao Li, Yan Luo, and Lin Lu. “The Role of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Fundus Vascular Abnormalities.” BMC Ophthalmology. BioMed Central, 13 July 2016. Web. 26 Oct. 2016.
