Fundus Autofluorescence, or FAF, is an advanced, non-invasive imaging test that provides a detailed map of your retinal health. It allows our specialists to see signs of stress and damage in the retina’s deep layers without needing any injections or dyes. This quick and painless scan is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring a wide range of retinal conditions.
What is a Fundus Autofluorescence?
This cutting-edge technology uses a special camera to capture the natural glow (autofluorescence) emitted by a substance called lipofuscin, which accumulates in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) cells. The RPE is a vital cell layer that supports the retina’s light-sensing photoreceptors. As RPE cells age or become stressed by disease, the amount of lipofuscin changes, and the FAF test creates a high-resolution map of these changes, revealing the health and metabolic function of your retina.
Why is this test performed?
Your ophthalmologist may recommend an FAF test to diagnose, monitor, or manage various retinal conditions, including:
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): To track the progression of the disease, especially the “dry” form, and identify areas of cell death (atrophy).
Inherited Retinal Diseases: To help diagnose and monitor conditions like Stargardt disease, Best disease, and retinitis pigmentosa.
Diabetic Retinopathy: To assess stress and damage to the RPE layer caused by high blood sugar levels.
Drug Toxicity: To screen for potential retinal damage from certain long-term medications, such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil).
How to Prepare for Your Fundus Autofluorescence
There is very little special preparation needed for an FAF test. In some cases, your doctor may need to dilate your pupils with eye drops to get a wider and clearer view of your retina.
Please inform our technician of any eye conditions or systemic health issues you have.
If your pupils are dilated, your vision will be blurry and sensitive to light for a few hours. We recommend you arrange for someone to drive you home.
Bring any prescription glasses or contact lenses you normally wear.
The Procedure: What to Expect Step-by-Step
1. You will be seated comfortably in a chair and asked to place your chin and forehead on the rests of the imaging device.
2. The technician will instruct you to look straight ahead at a small, steady light inside the machine.
3. A harmless, dim blue light will be shone into your eye for a few seconds while a specialised camera captures an image. You will see a brief flash of light, similar to a regular camera flash.
4. The process is repeated for the other eye, and the entire test is typically completed in less than 10 minutes.
Understanding Your Results
The images captured during the FAF test provide your doctor with a functional map of your RPE cells. Healthy cells have a normal level of autofluorescence and appear as a uniform grey. Areas that are unusually bright (hyperautofluorescence) can indicate stressed or unhealthy cells, while dark spots (hypoautofluorescence) often signify areas where RPE cells have been lost.
Your retina specialist at Pristine Eye Hospitals will carefully analyse these patterns in combination with your clinical examination and other diagnostic tests, like an OCT scan. They will explain the findings to you in detail, discuss what they mean for your vision and overall eye health, and outline the best course of action for treatment or monitoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Fundus Autofluorescence test painful?
No, the test is completely painless and non-invasive. You will only see a brief flash of light and feel no discomfort whatsoever.
Will I need eye drops for the FAF test?
Sometimes, dilating eye drops are used to widen your pupil for a clearer view of the retina. Your doctor will inform you if this is necessary for your specific case.
How is FAF different from a fluorescein angiogram?
FAF uses the natural fluorescence of your retinal cells and requires no injections. A fluorescein angiogram is an invasive test that involves injecting a vegetable-based dye into your arm to visualize blood flow in the retina.