Comparison of Geographic Atrophy Measurements Between Blue-Light Heidelberg Standard Field and Green-Light Optos...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Retinal Diseases

Background:

• Geographic atrophy (GA) is a leading cause of vision loss in age-related macular degeneration.
• Accurate measurement and monitoring of GA progression are crucial for clinical trials and patient management.
• Standard 30° field fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging is commonly used, but ultrawide field (UWF) imaging offers a broader view.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare geographic atrophy (GA) measurements between standard 30° field and ultrawide field (UWF) fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging.
• To evaluate the longitudinal progression of GA using both standard and UWF FAF modalities.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of paired standard and UWF FAF images from participants in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) and Optos PEripheral RetinA (OPERA) studies.
• GA area was measured in the macula using both imaging types and in the periphery using UWF FAF.
• GA progression was assessed over a 5-year period.

Main Results:

• Mean baseline GA area was slightly larger on standard FAF (5.32 mm²) compared to UWF FAF (4.79 mm²).
• No significant difference was found in the median annual growth rate of GA between standard (1.28 mm²/year) and UWF FAF (1.34 mm²/year) over 5 years.
• While absolute measurements differed, the progression rates were comparable between the two imaging modalities.

Conclusions:

• Standard and UWF FAF imaging yield comparable longitudinal data for geographic atrophy (GA) progression.
• UWF FAF, specifically Optos UWF FAF, may be a suitable alternative for monitoring GA over time.
• Further research with advanced UWF technology is warranted to refine GA measurement and monitoring.