Research progress on the choroidal hyperreflective foci on optical coherence tomography

doi:10.3877/cma.j.issn.2095-2007.2026.01.010

Abstract

Abstract:

The choroid mainly provides nutrition for the outer retina, clears metabolic waste, and maintains normal metabolism and physiological functions of the retina. The structural and functional abnormalities are the core pathological links of various retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and hereditary retinal malnutrition. In recent years, with the rapid development and widespread application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology, the fine structure of the choroid has been clearly presented, among which choroidal hyperreflexia (CHF) is a characteristic structure observed in OCT imaging. At present, CHF has been detected in normal eyes and various eye diseases and has been proven to be a potential biomarker, playing an important role in evaluating the degree of choroidal and retinal atrophy, monitoring disease activity status, and selecting treatment plans. The definition, imaging features, formation mechanisms, and recent research progress of CHF in normal eyes and various ophthalmic diseases were reviewed in this paper.

Key words: Choroidal hyperreflective foci, Optical coherence tomography, Age-related macular degeneration, Diabetic retinopathy, Central serous chorioretinopathy, Retinitis pigmentosa, Biomarker

Yue Yang, Zhengwei Zhang. Research progress on the choroidal hyperreflective foci on optical coherence tomography[J]. Chinese Journal of Ophthalmologic Medicine(Electronic Edition), 2026, 16(01): 54-58.

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