Structural and functional imaging of aqueous humour outflow: a review

Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2018 Mar;46(2):158-168. doi: 10.1111/ceo.13064. Epub 2017 Oct 12.

Abstract

Maintaining healthy aqueous humour outflow (AHO) is important for intraocular cellular health and stable vision. Impairment of AHO can lead to increased intraocular pressure, optic nerve damage and concomitant glaucoma. An improved understanding of AHO will lead to improved glaucoma surgeries that enhance native AHO as well as facilitate the development of AHO-targeted pharmaceuticals. Recent AHO imaging has evolved to live human assessment and has focused on the structural evaluation of AHO pathways and the functional documentation of fluid flow. Structural AHO evaluation is predominantly driven by optical coherence tomography, and functional evaluation of flow is performed using various methods, including aqueous angiography. Advances in structural and functional evaluation of AHO are reviewed with discussion of strengths, weaknesses and potential future directions.

Keywords: aqueous humour; fluorescein angiography; glaucoma; imaging systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aqueous Humor / metabolism*
  • Fluorescein Angiography / methods*
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Glaucoma* / diagnosis
  • Glaucoma* / metabolism
  • Glaucoma* / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Intraocular Pressure / physiology*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*
  • Trabecular Meshwork / diagnostic imaging*