What is a autofluorescence imaging?
Autofluorescence Imaging(FAF) is the concept of using naturally occurring fluorescence from the retina to provide an indicator of RPE (layer of the retina) health. Illuminating the retina with blue light causes certain cellular components to “glow” without injecting any dye.
What is FAF eye test?
Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) is increasingly being used in ophthalmology for detecting or monitoring retinal pathology, since autofluorescent molecules, referred to as fluorophores, can provide potentially useful diagnostic and prognostic information.
What is blue autofluorescence?
Blue laser fundus autofluorescence (BL-FAF) imaging enables noninvasive longitudinal en face monitoring of the distribution of lipofuscin in RPE cells and bisretinoids in the photoreceptors.
What causes autofluorescence retina?
Abnormal regions of hypo-autofluorescence (AF) are a result of decreased levels of lipofuscin, decreased RPE density, or blockage of fluorescence. Some notable causes of hypo-AF include: Decreased RPE lipofuscin (eg RPE atrophy or RPE tears) Presence of naturally occurring macular pigments.
What causes tissue autofluorescence?
Tissue autofluorescence has been attributed to many factors including endogenous tissue elements such as collagen, tissue processing techniques, particularly formalin fixation, and reagents such as serum that are applied to tissues during immunofluorescence protocols (Baschong et al.
How do I get rid of autofluorescence?
Use fluorophores that emit in a wavelength further from the autofluorescence compounds in your sample. Typically, far-red wavelength fluorophores such as CoralLite 647 are best for this. Commercially available reagents such as TrueVIEW (VectorLabs), have been shown to reduce autofluorescence from multiple causes.
What is new in ocular autofluorescence research?
In the past few years new research on ocular autofluorescence in vivo has also been performed. Ultraviolet light is frequently used to visualize LF by fluorescence microscopy ex vivo, since light absorption limits the transmission of ultraviolet light within the retina in human living eyes.
What is autofluorescence?
Autofluorescence is the spontaneous fluorescence that some substances present naturally. Fluorophore is the part of a molecule that makes it fluoresce. The human eye contains autofluorescent substances in the retina, especially within the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).
What do we know about autofluorescence in post-mortem human eyes?
The autofluorescence of LF, its distribution in post-mitotic human RPE cells and its accumulation with age have been extensively studied in post-mortem eyes with fluorescence microscopy (14,15). In the past few years new research on ocular autofluorescence in vivo has also been performed.
Is drusen regression associated with fundus autofluorescence in intermediate age-related macular degeneration?
Toy BC, Krishnadev N, Indaram M, et al. Drusen regression is associated with local changes in fundus autofluorescence in intermediate age-related macular degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol2013;156:532–42. e1.