title: Anterior segment optical coherence tomography imaging of conjunctival filtering blebs after glaucoma surgery.
abstract: Time domain (TD) and spectral domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) are cross-sectional, noncontact, high-resolution diagnostic modalities for posterior and anterior segment (AS) imaging. The AS-OCT provides tomographic imaging of the cornea, iris, lens, and anterior chamber (AC) angle in several ophthalmic diseases. In glaucoma, AS-OCT is utilized to evaluate the morphology of AS structures involved in the pathogenesis of the disease, to obtain morphometric measures of the AC, to evaluate the suitability for laser or surgical approaches, and to assess modifications after treatment. In patients undergoing surgery, AS-OCT is crucial in the evaluation of the filtering bleb functionality, permitting a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis. In this field, AS-OCT may help clinicians in distinguishing between functioning and nonfunctioning blebs by classifying their macroscopic morphology, describing bleb-wall features, bleb cavity, and scleral opening. This information is critical in recognizing signs of filtration failure earlier than the clinical approach and in planning the appropriate timing for management procedures in failing blebs. In this review, we summarize the applications of AS-OCT in the conjunctival bleb assessment.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Neurological, Neuropsychological, Morphological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, 53593 Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mastropasqua
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Clinic, Department of Medicine and Aging Science, Ophthalmic Clinic, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Frentani 114, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fasanella
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Clinic, Department of Medicine and Aging Science, Ophthalmic Clinic, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Frentani 114, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-1625-6305
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agnifili
authors.affiliation: Excellence Eye Research Center, CeSI, G. d'Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Curcio
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Clinic, Department of Surgical Science, University of L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciancaglini
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Clinic, Department of Medicine and Aging Science, Ophthalmic Clinic, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Frentani 114, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4890-3834
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mastropasqua
mesh_terms: D000869:Anterior Eye Segment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D011859:Radiography; D012590:Sclera / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*