Autofluorescence imaging of pingueculae

Aims:To analyse the autofluoresence (AF) properties of pingueculae and compare the size of AF with the extent of the visible lesion.Methods:Forty eyes of 23 patients with pingueculae were included in the study. AF images were obtained using an HRA2 confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope; anterior segment photographies were obtained using TRC-50IX, IMAGEnet 2000 Digital Imaging System. The AF characteristics of pingueculae were analysed. The extent of visible lesion in anterior segment photography and AF image was compared.Results:AF images revealed well-defined hyper-autofluorescence in the area of pinguecula, which was greater than the extent of visible pinguecula in the slit-lamp examination, in 40 of 56 lesions (71.4%). In none of the eyes was the hyperautofluorescent area smaller than the extent of visible lesion.Conclusion:Pingueculae display hyperautofluorescence in AF imaging. The real size of pingueculae may be estimated by its AF characteristics, which is mostly larger than the visible lesion.