Review of fluorescein angiograms performed in one year

In this study 374 consecutive fundus fluorescein angiograms (FFAs) were performed on 330 patients. Of these, 165 (50%) were investigated for age related maculopathy. In only 12% did this investigation lead to an alteration in treatment. The remaining 50% of angiograms were requested for diabetic patients (15%), retinal vein occlusion (5%), tumours (6%), and various other disorders. In the diabetic patients treatment could have proceeded without FFA in 24% of patients who underwent it. Missed diagnoses corrected by angiography and areas where unnecessary angiograms were performed were identified. One interesting subgroup of eight patients with unexplained loss of central vision was identified. Careful clinical examination had failed to reveal any abnormality. FFAs were of no diagnostic value in these patients.