Retina navigation, what is it?

Conventional slit lamp photocoagulation requires the surgeon to make their treatment plan using decisions from previously obtained fundus images and then during actual treatment use the slit illumination across the retina to build up a mental image from the discrete, observed slit images. Although mastered by retina specialists this is a skill that takes practice to acquire. Retina navigation is a new retina therapy solution, four years in the making by OD-OS, which means a doctor can image, plan and treat using a single platform. It was demonstrated to over 100 doctors at the Euretina meeting.

Navilas, standing for NAVIgated LASer integrates digital fundus imaging technology with a retinal photocoagulation laser. A digital screen displays true colour fundus imaging, mydratic and non-mydratic and monochrome red-free, infrared imaging and fluorescein angiography. Once acquired a plan can be marked up on the retinal images and later be displayed and overlaid on the live fundus image during the actual treatment. Digital documentation is also possible ensuring actual tratment location and laser spots applied.

"The impetus for the design," Dr Winfried Teiwes, explained to OTEurope, "was the ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) which confirmed that direct coagulation of microaneurysms and macula oedema provides the best medical and visual outcome." The conclusion of that study was reconfirmed by the DRC.net longitudinal study.

Additionally, in the three-year follow-up of the study comparing laser to injections, patients receiving laser treatment experienced an average improvement of +5 in visual acuity letter score, but patients in either triamcinolone group showed no improvement. Also, 83% of patients who received 4 mg of triamcinolone required cataract surgery at follow-up, compared with 46% who received 1 mg of triamcinolone and 31% who received laser treatment.