Abstract
Purpose :
In eyes with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO) shows a characteristic pattern of prolonged mean autofluorescence lifetimes. This study investigates changes in autofluorescence lifetimes over time in patients with AMD to better understand disease progression.
Methods :
26 patients with AMD (mean age 75 ± 9 years) were followed at the Moran Eye Center with a prototype Heidelberg Engineering FLIO. The mean follow-up time was 16 ± 8 months (range 6 - 34 months). Fundus autofluorescence was excited at 473 nm, and FLIO lifetimes were recorded in short (SSC, 498 - 560 nm) and long (LSC, 560 - 720 nm) spectral channels. Mean autofluorescence lifetimes were investigated.
Results :
At baseline, FLIO lifetimes in the outer ring (OR) of a standardized early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) grid were 297 ± 54 ps (SSC) and 405 ± 58 ps (LSC). At follow up, the same area showed FLIO lifetimes of 306 ± 59 ps (SSC) and 411 ± 57 ps (LSC), p<0.01 for both spectral channels. The central area (C) did not show any significant changes (P=0.67 and 0.18). The average 12-months prolongation of FLIO lifetimes in the OR was 7 ± 20 ps (SSC) and 7 ± 13 ps (LSC).
Conclusions :
In eyes with AMD, prolonged FLIO lifetimes further increase over time, particularly in the OR of the LSC, as eyes progress to more advanced stages of AMD. The rate of progression is variable amongst patients and even between eyes of the same patient. FLIO may be useful to monitor the progression of AMD.
This is a 2021 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.