Strong clinical progress in assisted eye examinations

Optos's scanning laser ophthalmoscope devices, the P200, P200C and P200MA have been used in a number of clinical studies, aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of an optomap ultra-widefield retinal scan in detecting potentially harmful lesions in the retina. In particular, these studies aimed to show the importance of examining the periphery of the retina. At the recent annual meeting of The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) in Fort Lauderdale, posters were presented giving updates on two important studies.

In the first study, 170 patients aged between 31 and 65 first underwent an optomap examination using the Optos P200C device. The patients' eyes were then dilated and they underwent traditional examinations by two different examiners, one referring to the optomap image in conjunction with the traditional examination. Lesions detected by traditional and optomap examinations were recorded independently and discrepancies were adjudicated by a retinal specialist.

The company says the results show that image-assisted examination using the Optos ultra-wide field P200C had a greater capability to detect retinal lesions compared to traditional ophthalmoscopy by approximately 30%.

Dr Tunde Peto of Moorfields Hospital, London presented the results of the second study, Reykjavik 12-year Follow-Up. The initial aim of the Reykjavik Eye Study was to establish the incidence of cataract, glaucoma and age-related macular diseases in Reykjavik, Iceland, by type and grade and to search for risk factors. Optos was invited to take part in the follow-up study as its P200 wide-field imaging technology has the potential to detect changes that may be associated with disease in the periphery of the retina. This might be an important predictor of central vision damage.

This is the first study to employ systematic analysis of digital retinal images for a genetically well-characterised population based study. The study on 573 participants (aged 72 and older) involved taking two retinal images, the first using conventional digital fundus images (CDI) and the second using the Optos P200C AF device that generates ultra wide field (200°) colour and auto-fluorescence (AF) images.

The study found that 56% of participants had symptoms on the periphery of the retina with features that are normally associated with AMD. Seven participants had changes on the periphery without end-stage disease in the macula. No-one with end-stage disease in the macula had a normal retinal periphery.

The study confirmed that there are wide ranging pathological retinal changes in the periphery even in those who have no central pathologies. The predictive values for these peripheral pathologies will be further investigated.

Commenting, Dr Peto, of Moorfields Hospital, London, said: "With the optomap, we now have the ability to visualize the peripheral retina at the same time that we see the macular area. Potentially this gives us an unprecedented opportunity to evaluate the contribution of the peripheral changes to age related diseases."

Roy Davis, CEO of Optos, commented: "We are delighted to be working with leading academic researchers in both Europe and North America. These studies further increase our belief in the value of the optomap digital eye examination in providing an accurate diagnosis of diseases and pathologies that present in the retina. Furthermore, these studies make clear the need to conduct further research into both the periphery and the centre of the retina