ULTRA-WIDEFIELD FUNDUS IMAGING: A Review of Clinical Applications and Future Trends

Abstract

Purpose: To review the basic principles of ultra-widefield fundus imaging and discuss its clinical utility for a variety of retinal and choroidal disorders.

Methods: A systematic review of the PubMed database was performed using the search terms Optos, optomap, panoramic, ultra-widefield, wide-angle, and ellipsoid mirror. This yielded 158 publications of which 128 were selected based on content and relevance.

Results: A total of 128 articles pertaining to ultra-widefield imaging were cited in this review.

Conclusion: Optos ultra-widefield imaging has become an essential tool for the identification of peripheral retinal and vascular pathology. The high resolution and multimodal capabilities of this device are also providing new insights into a variety of disorders, even those that primarily involve the posterior pole. Although the presence of artifact and the need for clinical validation are significant hurdles to more widespread use, ultra-widefield is evolving to become the standard-of-care imaging modality for many diseases and is finding new clinical and research applications such as for screening and telemedicine.