WIDEFIELD FLUORESCEIN ANGIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITHOUT PERIPHERAL DISEASE: A Study of Normal Peripheral Findings

PURPOSE: Widefield photography and angiography provide access up to 200-degrees of the retinal periphery. The range of normal peripheral findings has not been characterized, yet is relevant to studies addressing putative peripheral retinal vascular pathology.

METHODS: This study was an observational retrospective cohort study. Adult patients with epiretinal membrane or choroidal nevi who underwent imaging with Optos 200 MA/200Tx were included. Dye transit times, peripheral arteriovenous shunting, presence of vessels crossing the horizontal raphe, right angle vessels, terminal networks, absence of capillary detail, ground glass hyperfluorescence, peripheral drusen, and microaneurysms were evaluated.

RESULTS: Fifty-eight eyes of 31 patients met inclusion criteria. Mean peripheral arterial filling time was 8.65 ± 2.54 seconds (range 3-15 seconds). One or more peripheral anomalies were noted in all patients (P < 0.01). The prevalences of findings were: arteriovenous shunting (0.00%), vessels crossing the horizontal raphe (44.83%), right angle vessels (70.69%), terminal networks (77.59%), absence of capillary detail (98.28%), ground glass hyperfluorescence (87.93%), drusen (34.48%), and microaneurysms (41.38%).

CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of peripheral vascular anatomic variations in eyes expected to have normal peripheral retinal vasculature. These findings may provide a reference for future studies addressing putative pathologic peripheral angiographic findings.