Application Progress of OCTA in Retinal Diseases

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), as a nascent fundus vascular angiography technique, can identify the blood flow movement information of the retina and choroid with high resolution, and imaging the microvascular circulation of the retina and choroid in living tissues. Compared to previous art dye-based imaging such as fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography, it has the characteristics of fast, non-invasive, high resolution and three-dimensional imaging, as well as the ability to display retinal vascular structure and blood flow information simultaneously. OCTA is a nascent technology with a potential wide applicability for retinal vascular disease. As a part of systemic blood circulation, ocular blood flow has been affected by a variety of factors. Vascular factors play an important role in eye diseases including retinal vein occlusion, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, and other diseases. OCTA has special advantages in retinal choroidal vascular changes, disease management follow-up and treatment effect detection. However, OCTA suffers from disadvantages of a relatively small field of view, inability to show leakage, and proclivity for image artifact due to patient movement or blinking. This article will review the recent research of OCTA in diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, primary glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and high myopia fundus to understand its applicability in the research and clinical practice of retinal diseases.