History of Dye

Dye is an essential element for visualization of structures in the human eye. Vital staining utilized in ophthalmology is one of the most useful examinations to check for any abnormalities, including corneal stainingCorneal staining. However, as vitrectomyVitrectomy progressed and began to include the macular region, indocyanine green was used for macular hole surgeryMacular hole surgery by assisting in visualization of the internal limiting membrane (ILM)Internal Limiting Membrane (ILM). The ILM has a biochemical composition similar to other basement membranes. A proteomic study demonstrated that collagen IV is the major component of the ILM. Various vital dyesVital dyes are used to visualize the ILM, and both visualization and toxicity varies depending on the properties of each dye. Digital technology has also recently seen huge progression, enabling surgeons to enhance the ILM with lower concentrations of dye, and even visualize the ILM without additional injections of dye.