The pathogenesis of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is still controversial. More evidence of clinical and basic research is needed to distinguish PCV from an independent disease to a subtype of age-related macular degeneration. Not only that, there are also many puzzles in the diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis of PCV. In addition to these common problems, we also face a large population with risk factors, a large number of PCV patients with multiple and complex challenges in China. There is a long way to go to reduce the damage effects of PCV on visual function. To fulfil this goal, we need make full use of the huge resources of PCV patients and turn these challenges into opportunities, and contribute the improvement of diagnosis and better understanding of PCV pathogenesis.
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a vascular disease characterized by intraretinal hemorrhage, edema and hard exudation, which is caused by increased retinal vein pressure. OCT angiography (OCTA) has been widely used in the diagnosis of retinal vascular diseases including RVO by virtue of non-invasive, high resolution and stratified display of superficial, deep retinal vessels and quantification of retinal vessel density and non-perfusion area size. OCTA can provide information of retinal microvascular structure and blood perfusion under the condition of disease, it also can be used to evaluate the effect of treatment and changes of retinal circulation during the course of disease follow-up. Although OCTA cannot replace fundus angiography completely, it has brought us more information about the pathogenesis, disease progression and prognostic factors of RVO. It is believed that with the progress of technology, OCTA will bring us a new chapter in the study of retinal vascular diseases including RVO.
Autofluorescence is produced by lipofuscin in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells which is induced by exciting light and enables the visualization of lipofuscin changes in the RPE cells, thus showing the function of RPE and photoreceptor cells. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging is a non-invasive imaging technique providing information of RPE and photoreceptor cells, which is not obtainable with other imaging modalities. The scope of applications includes identification of diseased RPE in retinal diseases, elucidating pathophysiological mechanisms, estimating disease progression and prognosis, guiding treatment protocols. Common fundus diseases have different pathological types, levels and causes, so they can cause various damages of RPE and photoreceptor cells which induce complicated FAF. It is worth to further observing and investigating the common retinal diseases' FAF characteristics and clinical applications.