Fluorescein Imaging - Retinal Vascular Abnormalities
Study Summary
The study team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is currently enrolling participants with HHT for a research study. The goal of the study is to determine whether the rate of HHT-related retinal vascular abnormalities might be higher than previously reported when utilizing modern-day retinal imaging techniques. To that end, the study team aims to enroll 30 patients with HHT that will come in for one office visit and undergo an ophthalmological exam, fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Participants will also complete questionnaires about their visual function and severity of their HHT.
Eligibility
You might qualify if you:
- have been diagnosed with HHT
- are 18 to 65 years old
Procedure
Participation in this study requires 1 office visit at the Center for Advanced Medicine, located on the Barnes-Jewish Hospital campus in St. Louis, MO. You will be asked to fill out several questionnaires (10 minutes) related to your vision and undergo a full ophthalmologic examination at this visit.
The ophthalmological exam will consist of a Comprehensive Eye Examination and Fluorescein Angiography which is a procedure that uses a special camera to record the blood flow in the retina. The test does not involve any direct contact with the eyes. Your eyes will be dilated before the procedure. Fluorescein dye is injected into a vein in the arm/hand. As dye passes through the blood vessels of your eye, photographs are taken to record the blood flow in your retina. The photographs can reveal abnormal blood vessels or damage to the lining underneath the retina.
Following the ophthalmological exam, subjects will have completed the study and there is no long term follow up. The study team will record information collected for clinical purposes from the medical record related to your HHT for research purposes.
If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact The Study Team at 314-747-0910.