What is fluorescein angiography?
Fluorescein angiography is a photographic test used to diagnose eye conditions. Fluorescein is a yellow water soluble dye that is injected into a vein in the arm. The dye circulates through your body into the back of the eye, photos are taken and this gives the ophthalmologists information about your eye health.
Why is fluorescein angiography done?
Angiography is performed to aid in diagnosis, judge disease severity, as well as to follow the course of your eye disease and monitor treatment results.
What are the side-effects of fluorescein angiography?
- Your skin may appear yellow or darker for a few hours.
- Your urine will be a bright yellow/orange colour for 24 to 36 hours after the procedure.
- Some patients may experience nausea, sneezing or a metallic taste in the mouth. This will pass quickly. There is also a possibility that some patients may vomit.
On the day
Avoid eating or drinking two hours prior to the test. You won’t be able to drive home, so please organise a lift. The procedure will take approximately 90 minutes. Take medications and administer your eye drops as usual.
About the angiogram
Your pupils will be dilated. This may take 30 minutes. You will be taken into the angiography room and sat down at the camera. A tourniquet will be put on your arm and needle inserted into a vein. The dye will be injected and photos will be taken of each eye. Try to stay still and keep your eyes wide open. It is okay to blink. The procedure will take approximately 5 minutes.
After the Angiogram
Your vision will be blurred for approximately 2 hours. Additionally, you will need to sit in the waiting room for 15 minutes before leaving.
Results
A follow-up appointment will be made with your ophthalmologist to discuss the results.
Complications
In rare cases, some of the dye may leak out of the vein and cause a burning sensation. Please let us know if you feel any burning sensation during the injection.
Rare complications
3 in 1,000 people may have a mild allergic reaction to the dye (hives). This is treated with antihistamines. Very rarely, severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) may occur (1 in 20,000). This is life threatening and requires immediate treatment. Your ophthalmologist has emergency procedures in place should this occur. If you have had a previous reaction to fluorescein, if you are allergic to Iodine or if you are pregnant, please let your ophthalmologists know prior to undergoing the procedure.
