Optical coherence tomography in the diagnosis of retinal vascular disease

Abstract

Retinal vascular diseases, in particular diabetic retinopathy and retinal venous occlusive disorders, are important causes of visual loss and blindness. Other important retinal vascular diseases which can affect visual function include arterial occlusive disease, parafoveal telangiectasis, Coat's disease, vasculitides, macroaneurysms, and hypertensive retinopathy. Despite the various etiologies and underlying pathogenic processes, the mechanisms of visual loss are frequently similar among these diseases. One such common final pathway is the development of occlusions of the microcirculation (capillaries) with attendant retinal ischemia. The most frequent sequela, however, is a compromise in retinal vascular permeability leading to leakage and exudation with accumulation of fluid, lipid, and proteins within the retina [40] or in the subretinal space. Structural alterations are also a frequent outcome of retinal vascular disease. These changes include the development of cystoid spaces in the retina and vitreomacular traction. © 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.