Purpose
To evaluate characteristic of artifacts associated with ultra‐wide field fundus image.
Methods
The retrospective study included 139 eyes of 139 patients who had artifacts in color images using Optomap 200Tx (Optos, DunFermline, UK). The artifact means hyperreflective or hyporeflective shadow due to anterior segment of the eye or vitreous except retina. Types and characteristic of red laser separation, green laser separation and autofluorescence image artifacts within each image were evaluated.
Results
All image artifacts were categorized into two groups according to the location of artifacts. There were corneal opacity, cataract and posterior capsular opacity in the anterior artifacts group. And there were asteroid hyalosis, posterior vitreous detachment, vitreous opacity and vitreous hemorrhage in the posterior artifacts group. Anterior artifacts were more often hyporeflective in red and green laser separation images (p < 0.001). Posterior artifacts were more often hyperreflective in green laser separation images and hyporeflective in red laser separation images (p < 0.001).
Conclusions
Ultra‐wide field scanning laser ophthalmoscope images can frequently have various shadows from anterior or posterior lesion of eye. These shadows show a difference in reflectivity depending on their origins. To understand the difference helps interpretation of the fundus images.