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.
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.
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.