New Frontiers in Retina: highlights of the 2020 angiogenesis, exudation and degeneration symposium.

We summarize the most important findings presented at the 2020 angiogenesis, exudation and degeneration symposium in five topic areas: (1) epidemiology of retinal vascular disease and macular degeneration; (2) dry AMD and geographic atrophy; (3) neovascular age-related macular degeneration; (4) drug delivery and devices and (5) diabetic retinopathy.

Decreased severity of age-related macular degeneration in amblyopic eyes.

Aim: To evaluate whether people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and a history of amblyopia have equal severity of AMD in both eyes.

Methods: Billing records were used to locate all people with a history of amblyopia and AMD evaluated between 1 January 2003 and 1 June 2015 at a single ophthalmology institute. Two ophthalmic graders blinded to amblyopia status determined the severity of AMD in each eye using fundus photos and a validated grading scale.

Quantitative microvascular analysis of retinal venous occlusions by spectral domain optical coherence tomography angiography.

Purpose: To quantitatively evaluate the retinal microvasculature in human subjects with retinal venous occlusions (RVO) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Design: Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational case series.

Participants: Sixty subjects (84 eyes) were included (20 BRVO, 14 CRVO, 24 unaffected fellow eyes, and 26 controls).

Quantifying Retinal Microvascular Changes in Uveitis Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose: To quantify retinal capillary density and morphology in uveitis using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA).

Design: Cross-sectional, observational study.

Methods: Healthy and uveitic subjects were recruited from 2 tertiary care eye centers.

Widefield OCT Findings of a Patient With Stellate Nonhereditary Idiopathic Foveomacular Retinoschisis.

The authors report extensive peripheral retinoschisis in a patient with stellate nonhereditary idiopathic foveomacular retinoschisis (SNIFR) detected by widefield optical coherence tomography (OCT). A 64-year-old woman diagnosed with foveomacular retinoschisis 3 years prior presented for evaluation after being seen by multiple other retina specialists. Standard macular spectral-domain OCT (6 mm) revealed typical foveomacular schisis involving only the outer retina.

Quantifying Microvascular Density and Morphology in Diabetic Retinopathy Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose: To quantify changes in retinal microvasculature in diabetic retinopathy (DR) by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA).

Methods: Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study of healthy and diabetic adult subjects with and without DR. Retinal microvascular changes were assessed by using SD-OCTA images and an intensity-based optical microangiography algorithm.

Forming a Consensus: Data and Guidance for Physicians Treating Diabetic Macular Edema.

The diabetic macular edema (DME) treatment paradigm has evolved as the understanding of the disease pathology has grown. Since 2012, four pharmacotherapies have been approved by the U.S.

Improving Outcomes for Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema.

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is one of the most common causes of vision loss in patients who have diabetes, and all of these patients are at risk for developing DME. The onset is often painless, difficult to detect, and can occur at any stage of diabetes. Ideally, DME is preventable, but treatment must be considered when preventative methods fail.

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY OF RETINAL VENOUS OCCLUSION.

Purpose: To noninvasively evaluate the retinal microvasculature in human subjects with retinal venous occlusions using optical coherence tomography angiography and assess potential clinical applications.

Methods: This was a prospective, observational study of adult human subjects with clinical and imaging findings demonstrating retinal venous occlusion. Subjects underwent complete ophthalmic examination and fluorescein angiography as appropriate for their standard of care.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography of Diabetic Retinopathy in Human Subjects.

Background And Objective: Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a novel, non-invasive OCT technique capable of imaging the retinal vasculature. This study aims to evaluate the retinal microvasculature in diabetic human subjects with OCTA and assess potential clinical applications.

Patients And Methods: Cross-sectional study of 33 subjects with diabetic retinopathy.

Depth-resolved rhodopsin molecular contrast imaging for functional assessment of photoreceptors.

Rhodopsin, the light-sensing molecule in the outer segments of rod photoreceptors, is responsible for converting light into neuronal signals in a process known as phototransduction. Rhodopsin is thus a functional biomarker for rod photoreceptors. Here we report a novel technology based on visible-light optical coherence tomography (VIS-OCT) for in vivo molecular imaging of rhodopsin.

Optical coherence photoacoustic microscopy for in vivo multimodal retinal imaging.

We developed an optical coherence photoacoustic microscopy (OC-PAM) system, which can accomplish optical coherence tomography (OCT) and photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) simultaneously by using a single pulsed broadband light source. With a center wavelength of 800 nm and a bandwidth of 30 nm, the system is suitable for imaging the retina. Generated from the same group of photons, the OCT and PAM images are intrinsically registered in the lateral directions.

Identification of a Novel Mucin Gene HCG22 Associated With Steroid-Induced Ocular Hypertension.

Purpose: The pathophysiology of ocular hypertension (OH) leading to primary open-angle glaucoma shares many features with a secondary form of OH caused by treatment with glucocorticoids, but also exhibits distinct differences. In this study, a pharmacogenomics approach was taken to discover candidate genes for this disorder.

Methods: A genome-wide association study was performed, followed by an independent candidate gene study, using a cohort enrolled from patients treated with off-label intravitreal triamcinolone, and handling change in IOP as a quantitative trait.

OCT angiography in healthy human subjects.

Background And Objective: To noninvasively evaluate the retinal microvasculature in healthy human subjects with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Patients And Methods: Cross-sectional, observational study of five healthy subjects. OCTA was performed on 3 × 3 mm(2) sections centered on the fovea, nasal macula, and temporal macula.