Fundus Fluorescein Angiography

Fundus fluorescein angiography is a common procedure performed to evaluate the back surface of a patient's eye. A small amount of yellow fluorescein dye is injected into a vein in the patient's arm. The dye travels to the eye, where it highlights the blood vessels.

It helps diagnose eye disorders such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration occurs in the macula, which is the part of the eye that allows you to focus on fine detail. Sometimes the disorder worsens so slowly that you may not notice any change at all. In some people, it causes vision to deteriorate rapidly, and blindness in both eyes may occur.

Because the disease destroys focused central vision, it can affect:

Seeing objects clearly
Driving
Reading
Watching television

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by long-term diabetes and results in permanent damage to the blood vessels in the back of the eye, or the retina. The retina converts images and light that enter the eye into signals, which are then transmitted to the brain through the optic nerve.

There are two types of this disorder:

Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, which occurs in the initial stages of the disease
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy, which develops later and is more severe

Fundus fluorescein angiography is used to determine if treatments for these eye disorders are working.

Normal Results

If the eyes are healthy, the blood vessels will have normal shape and size. There will be no blockages or leaks in the vessels.

Abnormal Results

Abnormal results may reveal a leak or blockage in the blood vessels. This may be due to:

A circulatory problem
Cancer
Diabetic retinopathy
Macular degeneration
High blood pressure
A tumor
Enlarged capillaries in the retina
Swelling of the optic disc