Ultra-widefield fundus fluorescein angiography in pediatric retinal vascular diseases

PURPOSE: To describe the utility of RetCam ultra-wide-field fundus fluorescein angiography in pediatric retinal vascular diseases. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was carried out in 43 eyes of 22 pediatric patients who were diagnosed or suspected to have a retinal vascular disease. Fluorescein angiography was carried out using the 130 degree lens of RetCam 3. Fluorescein angiography guided treatment (laser/cryotherapy) was carried out wherever required. RESULTS: Diseases studied included - coats disease, familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, congenital retinal folds, double optic nerve head, persistent fetal vasculature and incontinentia pigmenti. RetCam assisted fluorescein angiography was helpful in establishing a diagnosis in 4 patients (18%), in decision making regarding treatment in 18 patients (82%), in deciding need for retreatment in 5 patients (23%), helped in staging of disease in 5 patients (23%) and in detecting clinically subtle findings in 6 patients (27%). CONCLUSION: RetCam assisted FFA is extremely useful to document peripheral retinal vascular pathologies in pediatric patients and helps to take crucial therapeutic and retreatment decisions.