Using optical imaging equipment with different wavelength and computer technology, fundus optical imaging diagnostic techniques can record fundus reflected light, auto fluorescence and emitted light after excitation by external light source in order to observe and analyze the structure and pathological process of retina and choroid. Advances in fundus optical image capture technology (including laser, confocal laser, spontaneous auto-fluorescence, multispectral imaging) and storage and analysis technology, promote this field into a high-definition digital imaging era, with features of rapid, non-invasive, wide-angle three-dimensional multi-level integration, dynamic automatic navigation location tracking and combined application of a variety of optical imaging diagnostic techniques. In order to promote clinical and scientific research of ocular fundus diseases, we need to understand the development trend of optical imaging diagnostic technique, interpret the fundus imaging features appropriately, reasonably chose different inspection techniques, establish standardized diagnosis criteria and continue to expand clinical applications.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has developed from time-doma in into Fourier-domain OCT (FD-OCT) which indicates clearer details and higher resolution of images. FD-OCT can indicate the structure and pathological changes of each retinal layer, and reveal the retinal external limiting membranes and changes of inner- and outer-segment of visual cells by 3D solid reconstruction. FD-OCT not only provide detailed information of the images for the clinical diagnosis, but also help us investigting the characteristics and pthological mechanisms of ocular fundus diseases, which lead us to a new era of technology of observation on ocualr fundus diseases. In the application, we should pay attention to the significance of different colors of OCT images, and focus on the cohenrence of the position in the image acquistion during the follow-up period. Dynamic observation on the lesions by FD-OCT and aggregated anaylsis of resutls of several imageological examination would be the development direction of imageological examination of ocular fundus diseases.
At present, artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of various ophthalmological diseases, but there are still many problems. Due to the lack of standardized test sets, gold standards, and recognized evaluation systems for the accuracy of AI products, it is difficult to compare the results of multiple studies. When it comes to the field of image generation, we hardly have an efficient approach to evaluating research results. In clinical practice, ophthalmological AI research is often out of touch with actual clinical needs. The requirements for the quality and quantity of clinical data put more burden on AI research, limiting the transformation of AI studies. The prediction of systemic diseases based on fundus images is making progressive advancement. However, the lack of interpretability of the research lower the acceptance. Ophthalmology AI research also suffer from ethical controversy due to unconstructed regulations and regulatory mechanisms, concerns on patients’ privacy and data security, and the risk of aggravating the unfairness of medical resources.
Ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWFA) can obtain very wide retinal images (up to 200°), and is a very helpful tool to detect peripheral retinal lesions which cannot be found by other imaging methods. Analyzing the characteristics of the UWFA images may improve our understanding, treatment outcomes and management strategies of ocular fundus diseases. However this technology is still in its premature stage, there is still a lot of work to be done to improve its clinical application and study the characteristics and clinical meanings of these peripheral retinal lesions.
ObjectiveTo observe the demographic data, disease composition and convenience of remote consultation in ophthalmology. MethodsA retrospective study. From 2015 to 2021, the demographic data, changing trends, disease classification of teleconsultation patients, and hospitals participating in teleconsultation, and the waiting time of patients for teleconsultation was analyzed retrospectively; remote consultation physician level composition and other data was analyzed. ResultsDuring the 7-year period, 1 216 patients with remote consultation were obtained through the platform of the telemedicine center. Among them, there were 680 males and 536 females; the average age was 50.8 years. In 2016 and 2017, the number of patients participating in telemedicine consultations reached a peak of 260 and 221 cases, respectively. Among the ophthalmic diseases, there were 490 cases (40.30%, 490/1 216) of retinal and optic nerve-related diseases, 212 cases (17.43%, 212/1 216) of ocular trauma. 678 cases (56.27%, 678/1 205) of remote consultation waiting time were less than 24 hours, 991 cases (82.24%, 991/1 205) were less than 48 hours. Among the physicians who participated in the remote consultation, there were 733 chief physicians (60.3%, 733/1 216) and 466 deputy chief physicians (38.3%, 466/1 216). ConclusionsDuring the seven-year period from 2015 to 2021, there are relatively few patients with ophthalmology teleconsultation; retinal and optic nerve-related diseases accounted for a high proportion. Remote consultation has high convenience.
Ultra-wide-field fluorescein angiography (UWFA) is a novel breakthrough in ocular fundus imaging technology, which can capture a single, high-resolution, 200° wide image of the ocular fundus that traditional fluorescein angiography cannot reach. This technology has important impacts on the screening, diagnosis, staging, treatment and follow-up of vascular diseases involving peripheral retina (such as diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, uveitis and so on).
Ophthalmic imaging examination is the main basis for early screening, evaluation and diagnosis of eye diseases. In recent years, with the improvement of computer data analysis ability, the deepening of new algorithm research and the popularization of big data platform, artificial intelligence (AI) technology has developed rapidly and become a hot topic in the field of medical assistant diagnosis. The advantage of AI is accurate and efficient, which has great application value in processing image-related data. The application of AI not only helps to promote the development of AI research in ophthalmology, but also helps to establish a new medical service model for ophthalmic diagnosis and promote the process of prevention and treatment of blindness. Future research of ophthalmic AI should use multi-modal imaging data comprehensively to diagnose complex eye diseases, integrate standardized and high-quality data resources, and improve the performance of algorithms.
The hallmark of the recent latest advances in diagnostic fundus imaging technology is combination of complex hierarchical levels and depths, as well as wide-angle imaging, ultra-wide imaging. The clinical application of wide-angle and ultra-wide imaging, not only can reevaluate the role of the peripheral retina, the classification types and treatment modalities of central retinal vein occlusion, and enhance the reliability of diabetic retinopathy screening, improve the classification and therapeutic decision of diabetic retinopathy, and but also can help guide and improve laser photocoagulation. However we must clearly recognize that the dominant role of ophthalmologists in the diagnosis of ocular fundus diseases cannot be replaced by any advanced fundus imaging technology including wide-angle imaging. We emphasize to use the three factors of cognitive performance (technology, knowledge and thinking) to improve the diagnosis of ocular fundus diseases in China.
Optical imaging technology of ocular fundus, including fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF), is growing at an unprecedented speed and scale and is integrating into the routine clinical management of ocular fundus diseases, such as diagnosis, treatment, and mechanism study. While FFA allow us to observe the retinal and choroidal blood circulation, OCT and FAF are non-invasive, fast and quantifiable measurement; such techniques show even more unique advantages and are favored tools. All these retinal imaging technologies, together with a variety of retinal function assessments, bring us into the era of big data of ocular fundus diseases. All of these developments are the challenges and opportunities for the operator and user of these fundus optics imaging technologies. In order to improve its clinical applications and allocate resources rationally, we need to understand the optical properties of these retinal imaging technologies, and standardize diagnosis behavior. This is a continuous learning process needs to continue to explore.
Ultra-wide field fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging is a new noninvasive technique with an imaging range of about 200 °. It can detect peripheral retinal lesions that cannot be found in previous FAFs and more objectively reflect intracellular content and distribution of lipofuscin in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and RPE cell metabolic status. The ultra-wide field FAF can find the abnormal autofluorescence (AF) in the peripheral retina of the eyes of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and different AF manifestations may have an impact on the diagnosis and treatment of the different AMD subtypes. It is helpful to evaluate subretinal fluid in the eyes of central serous choroidal retinopathy and can accurately detect the changes in the outer retina of the eyes without subretinal fluid. It can help to determine the type of uveitis and fully display the evolution of the disease. It can also assess the peripheral photoreceptor cell layer and RPE in patients with retinal dystrophy and retinitis pigmentosa, and comprehensively evaluate their retinal function and monitor the progress of disease. It can also assist in the evaluation of the short-term efficacy and RPE cell function after the scleral buckling surgery for patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. In the future, ultra-wide field FAF may change the knowledge and intervention strategy of ocular fundus diseases and promote the clinical and scientific research in this field.