Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography In Early Detection Of Microvascular Changes In Type I Diabetic Children

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, especially in the pediatric population. Accurate investigative tools are essential for the early diagnosis and monitoring of the disease. A successfully implemented screening program should benefit patients by increasing awareness of the importance of regular monitoring of DR. It should also provide a prompt referral to an ophthalmologist for screen-positive DR, to ultimately reduce the risk of sight loss and preserve patient function and quality of life. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a recently developed technology that enables visualization of the retinal microvasculature. Diabetic eyes have impaired retinal microcirculation in the macula even before retinopathy develops, and thus, en face OCTA is a useful noninvasive screening tool for the detection of early microcirculatory disturbance in patients with T1DM before the development of diabetic retinopathy. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the early retinal microvascular changes in diabetic eyes with no clinical signs of diabetic retinopathy (DR) on routine fundus examination using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in pediatrics.