A new non-invasive method for detecting retinal vasculature using blue reflectance scanning laser ophthalmoscope

Monday, September 22, 2014 — Poster Session I
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.	FAES Academic Center	NEI	NEURO-17

* FARE Award Winner

Authors

• Y Li
• L Zhao
• W Wong
• H Qian

Abstract

Using non-invasive confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) imaging in blue reflectance (BR) mode, we identified new anatomical features in the mouse eye. When focused below the level of the optic nerve fiber layer, dark dots 10 to 15 µm in diameter were observed with BR mode in the inner retina. These dark dots did not co-localize with the fluorescent signal in transgenic Cx3cr1-GFP mouse, indicating that they did not correspond to retinal microglia. They however co-localized well with intense fluorescent spots observed on fluorescein angiography (FA). 3D reconstruction of retinal vasculature confirmed that fluorescent spots in FA images corresponded to the linking points of inner deeper plexus with primary and/or outer deeper plexus. Mouse with retinal degeneration had lower densities of BR dots than observed with WT. The number of dark dots decreased in mice with retinal degeneration, reflecting concurrent vascular degeneration in these models. BR dots represent a novel, non-invasive, imaging outcome measure that can be used to monitor vascular structure in normal retina and degeneration in retinal disease.

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