Use of oral fluorescein angiography in the diagnosis of macular oedema within a diabetic retinopathy screening programme.
OBJECTIVE
To assess if oral fluorescein angiography (OFA) is a suitable screening method to detect macular oedema in diabetic retinopathy.


METHODS
Eighty-four diabetic patients were included in the study. They were from a consecutive series of patients attending the diabetic eye-screening clinic, with retinopathy at the macula requiring ophthalmology assessment. All patients were subsequently examined in the eye hospital, by ophthalmologist slit lamp biomicroscopy assessment as the gold standard, followed by oral fluorescein angiography.


RESULTS
This study indicates a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 81%. Only 4.8% of patients developed a minor reaction to oral fluorescein; 84.5% of images were of good quality.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral fluorescein angiography is an efficient and highly sensitive tool for the detection of macular oedema. It can be used as an adjunct in the diabetic screening service to identify patients with oedema within a disc diameter of the macula. Ultimately it will ensure that only necessary and smaller numbers of patients are referred to ophthalmologists.
Razvi
F M
FM
Birmingham City Hospital NHS Trust and Birmingham Midland Eye Centre, Birmingham, UK. fgsummerfield@cs.com
Kritzinger
E E
EE
Tsaloumas
M D
MD
Ryder
R E
RE
D000284:Administration, Oral; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008403:Mass Screening; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D003287:Contrast Media; D019793:Fluorescein