Ultra-Widefield Retina Imaging: Principles of Technology and Clinical Applications

Abstract

The peripheral retina is frequently affected by various diseases and ultra-widefield (UWF) imaging has become an essential tool for eval-uation of peripheral retinal pathology. The wide angle and high resolution of this imaging device were recently updated along with mul-timodal capabilities, including pseudocolor fundus photographs, fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, and autofluorescence images. Using this UWF technology, important clinical observations have been made in the normal population and patients with certain diseases including diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusion, retinal detachment, uveitis, age-related macular degeneration, and choroidal tumors. Although peripheral distortion and the need for clinical validation are obstacles to overcome for the accurate quanti-fication and more generalized use, UWF imaging has provided new insights into a variety of disorders and has become the standard-of-care imaging modality for many diseases. Therefore, use of UWF retinal imaging for the daily retina practice in the near future is inevitable. This review will describe the principles of UWF technologies with several modalities, and include its clinical applications and then suggest future directions.