Retinal ischemia and angle neovascularization in proliferative diabetic retinopathy

PURPOSE: To analyze the relationship between the extent of retinal ischemia in proliferative diabetic retinopathy and angle neovascularization. METHODS: Panoramic fundus fluorescein angiography nd 360-degree fluorescein gonioangiography to detect the angle neovascularization were performed on 70 eyes of 46 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Statistical significance was evaluated by chi-squared test. Statistical significance was evaluated if the value (T) was greater than the level of significance, chi (2)(0.05) (2) = 5.99. RESULTS: Retinal ischemia in fluorescein angiography was evaluated in four areas: capillary occlusion in (1) temporal raphe; (2) radial peripapillary capillaries; (3) the midperiphery (grade I, less than 25% of the area; grade II, 25% to 50%; grade III, 50% to 75%; grade IV, than grade III, capillary occlusion in the radial peripapillary capillaries and temporal raphe, and optic disk. Fluorescein gonioangiography was found to be a powerful tool for the early detection of angle neovascularization, especially in dark irides. (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.