Clinical
Vol 3 No 5 • October/November 2012 • International Journal of Ophthalmic Practice
CR-2 PLUS was pronounced (see Figure 13) which 
is in agreement with Shields et al (2008) who stated 
that the brightest change in FAF was seen with 
orange pigment which is much brighter than drusen 
FAF. They also concluded that the location, thick-
ness and size of the nevus does not influence the 
FAF. In general, FAF imaging has the potential for 
separating a nevus from a small melanoma. Since 
Key points
• Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) provides information about the fluorescence of the
retina and the wellbeing of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). • The fluorescence mainly derives from lipofuscin which is an ocular pigment and a
by-product from intracellular metabolism in the photoreceptors and the RPE. • In degenerative conditions, such as age-related macular changes, some cases will
appear fully normal on a colour fundus image, but show abnormality on the FAF
image. • FAF images should be regarded as a supplement to colour fundus images and has
highest relevance when it comes to slow progressing conditions rather than acute
conditions. Fundus autofluorescence • Colour fundus image • CR-2 PLUS 
• Lipofuscin
Bindewald-Wittich A, Finger 
R, Holz FG (2010) Fundus 
autofluorescence in age-
ralated maculopathy. In: 
Lois N and Forrester JV, 
eds. Fundus autofluores-
cence. Lippincott William 
and Wilkins, Baltimore: 
107–18
Bindewald A, Bird AC, 
Dandekar SS et al (2005) 
Classification of fundus 
autofluorescence patterns 
in early age-related macular 
disease. Investigative 
Ophthalmol  Visual Sci 46: 
3309–14
Bird AC (2010) Interpreting 
fundus autofluorescence. In: Lois N and Forrester JV, 
eds.