title: Autofluorescence imaging of pingueculae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the autofluoresence (AF) properties of pingueculae and compare the size of AF with the extent of the visible lesion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty eyes of 23 patients with pingueculae were included in the study. AF images were obtained using an HRA2 confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope; anterior segment photographies were obtained using TRC-50IX, IMAGEnet 2000 Digital Imaging System. The AF characteristics of pingueculae were analysed. The extent of visible lesion in anterior segment photography and AF image was compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AF images revealed well-defined hyper-autofluorescence in the area of pinguecula, which was greater than the extent of visible pinguecula in the slit-lamp examination, in 40 of 56 lesions (71.4%). In none of the eyes was the hyperautofluorescent area smaller than the extent of visible lesion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pingueculae display hyperautofluorescence in AF imaging. The real size of pingueculae may be estimated by its AF characteristics, which is mostly larger than the visible lesion.
authors.affiliation: Yeditepe University Eye Hospital, Sakir Kesebir sokak No:28, Balmumcu Besiktas, 34345, Istanbul, Turkey. cananutine@gmail.com
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Utine
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tatlipinar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Altunsoy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Oral
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Basar
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Alimgil
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D008062:Lipofuscin / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D010781:Photography; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D008062:Lipofuscin