Intravenous Fluorescein Angiogram
An angiogram is a diagnostic test which uses a special
camera to take pictures of your retina.
Fluorescein
is injected into a vein in your arm. This dye will travel
throughout your body. Once it has reached the eyes, the
camera will take several pictures of it passing through
the blood vessels at the back of your eye.
Risks
The risk of
adverse reaction is low, however there are some risks
involved. A localized burning sensation may occur at the
injection site and/or your skin may yellow if the dye
leaks out of the blood vessel at the time of injection.
An allergic reaction, which is rare, usually causes
itching and a skin rash. You can also expect yellowing
of your urine and a feeling of nausea.
Drinking
plenty of water before and after your test will help
flush out the dye faster, returning your skin and urine
to its normal colour.
The test is performed by a
Doctor, or in most cases a specialized nurse. Your eyes
will be dilated for this test.