Heidelberg retina angiograph

Two probands in two Chinese families were diagnosed as having Crouzon syndrome at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (Guangzhou, China). The proband of family 1 (Fig. 1) was a one-year-old girl and was the second child of healthy unrelated parents, vaginally delivered maturely at 39 weeks. The second proband, in family 2, (Fig. 2) was a three-year-old boy and was also the second child of his family. For the present study, ophthalmic examinations of these two families were performed, as follows: Visual acuity was examined using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart (Precision Vision, LaSalle, IL, USA). Anterior segment images were captured using a BX 900 Slit Lamp (Haag-StreitAG, Köniz, Switzerland). Anterior segment measurements were obtained using Pentacam^® HR version 70700 (OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany). Fundus imaging was performed using a Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany). In addition, physical examinations, including blood examination, a urine test, electrocardiogram, chest X-ray, blood biochemistry test, blood lipid and blood coagulation tests, were performed to exclude systemic diseases. The study was approved by the ethics committee of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University.

The Heidelberg Retina Angiograph (Heidelberg Engineering, Dossenheim, Germany) is a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) which allows imaging of eye fundus. To adapt the commercial system to the optics of rodent eyes, the 40 mm focal lens of the front objective was replaced by a 25 mm focal lens (Linos Optics, Milford, MA). The system allows the examination of nerve fiber layer in each cardinal area of rat eyes before treatment and different times after vector administration. Images were obtained using the 30° field of view and the automatic real-time mode at a sensitivity setting that maximized the signal/noise ratio; all the cardinal areas of the eye fundus were observed, thus, obtaining fiber bundle distribution in the whole retina. The built-in software was used for postprocessing the images, including alignment, adjustment of contrast, construction of a mean image and/or of a composite image, as previously described.^{36 (link)}

FAF examinations were conducted using a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (Heidelberg Retina Angiograph, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Automated eye tracking and image alignment allowed for better resolution. One patient (patient N;II-1) received the fluorescent angiography (FA) examination using the Heidelberg Retina Angiograph.