Sep 7 2015
Optovue, the global leader in the development and commercialization of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), today announced AngioAnalytics™, a significant expansion of its OCTA technology, at the 33rd congress of the European Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ESCRS) being held in Barcelona, Spain from September 5-9.
This new capability will provide clinicians with the ability to quantify the density of blood flow in the retina, the light-sensitive portion of the eye.
“For the first time ever, ophthalmologists will have the ability to detect early, and manage more closely, devastating eye diseases by viewing the density of blood vessels in the retina and measuring the presence or absence of blood flow,” said Dr. Richard Rosen, MD, FACS, FASRS, CRA, Professor of Ophthalmology and Director or Retina at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. “AngioAnalytics expands OCTA technology by introducing quantification so that changes to a patient’s retina can be tracked objectively, potentially even before the patient notices significant vision degradation. This capability allows us to optimize treatment in a way that we have not previously been able to do, and may lead to changes in the clinical management of diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and other diseases that cause progressive vision loss.”
The AngioVue™ Imaging System embodies OCTA technology, which uses light rays to form detailed three-dimensional images of the retina so physicians can quickly visualize the anatomic structures and any abnormalities present. In less than three seconds, the AngioVue System acquires a single image that complements, and in some cases can replace, the current angiography imaging standard, fluorescein angiography (FA), but with a number of advantages. Unlike FA, the AngioVue System is non-invasive and does not require the use of dye injections, which can often obscure the target anatomy, leading to diagnostic uncertainty. The addition of AngioAnalytics to the AngioVue system now provides objective data regarding the areas encompassed by flow and non-flow regions, and creates a visual map of the blood flow in the retina.
Diabetic retinopathy is characterized by a predictable progression of vascular changes in the circulation of the retina ultimately leading to areas without any blood flow at all. In later stages of the disease, the growth of new blood vessels occurs along with an overall thickening of the central part of the retina. According to the World Health Organization, diabetic retinopathy is responsible for nearly two million cases of blindness globally. Age-related macular degeneration is the third leading cause of blindness in the world, and is characterized by a loss of vision in the central visual field.
“Providing clinicians with the ability to quantify blood flow in the retina should allow for earlier and more individualized treatment, without the need or cost of repeated dye injections,” said Jay Wei, founder and chief executive officer for Optovue. “We are very pleased with the adoption and utilization of the AngioVue System since its introduction last year, and we expect AngioAnalytics to further its momentum.”
Recent clinical findings from the AngioVue Imaging System will be highlighted in a symposium entitled, “New Technology for Imaging Structure and function from cornea to Retina,” on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6:00 pm at the Hotel Fira Congress Barcelona. Additionally demonstrations of the system will be held throughout the congress in the Optovue booth #D06 located in exhibit hall 7.