Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an imaging technic that was first applied for eye length measurements in 1988 and then in 1991 for creating in vivo retinal images. During ensuing years, it became an essential part of ocular examination in most eye clinics. It uses low coherence interferometry technique to create two or three-dimensional in vivo images of ocular structures. Optical coherence tomography utilizes near infrared laser waves that can penetrate ocular media with minimal scattering to achieve high quality images. The axial resolution is high enough (2-3 microm) to make OCT the imaging method of choice for evaluating retinal microanatomy in many conditions. Using near infrared light and being a noninvasive technique, OCT is generally considered a harmless imaging method.