Quantitative study of fundus autofluorescence distribution at the posterior pole in normal subjects / 中华眼底病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the characteristics of fundus autofluorescence (AF) distribution at the posterior pole in normal subjects. Methods Seventy-nine normal subjects (156 eyes) were studied.Confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) HRA2 was used to obtain the AF average image at the posterior pole. The distance was calibrated by Digimizer image analysis system. With umbo as the center,the macula was divided into foveola, foves, parafovea and perifovea areas which with the radius 175, 750,1250 and 2750 μm respectively. Each area was further divided into inferior, superior, temporal and nasal quadrants by two radial lines angle of 90°, except for foveola. The AF intensity in four quadrants of different macular regions and optic disc were measured. The AF intensity in vertical and horizontal direction of umbo was also measured. Then the effects of age, eyes, and gender on AF intensity in four quadrants of different macular regions were analyzed. Results There were statistically significant differences in AF intensity among optic disc and four quadrants of macular regions (F=528. 648, P＜0.05). AF distribution was V-type in vertical direction and M-type in horizontal direction. There were statistically significant differences between age groups in foveola, inferior parafovea, temporal parafovea, inferior perifovea,superior perifovea and temporal perifovea (P＜ 0. 01). There were no statistically significant differences between the two eyes (P＞0. 05). Between genders group, there were statistically significant differences in foveola, superior foves, inferior fovea, nasal fovea and temporal perifovea (P ＜ 0.05); no statistically significant differences in the other quadrants (P＞0. 05). Conclusions The distribution of AF intensity is inhomogeneous in macular regions and four quadrants of each region in normal subjects. AF intensity increases with aging. AF distribution is symmetrical in both eyes. There is probably no correlation between gender and AF intensity distribution.