The Spectator

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging that uses light waves to take cross-section pictures of your retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye.

The OCT allows each of the retina’s distinctive layers can be seen, allowing our Optometrist to map and measure their thickness. These measurements are essential for the early detection, diagnosis and treatment guidance for retinal diseases and conditions, more specifically age-related macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease and Glaucoma among others.

Modern upto date OCTs do not require your pupils to be dilated, rarely if your pupils are very very small this will be required. To gather this images you will be seated in front of the OCT instrument and will rest your chin and head on a support to keep it motionless. The equipment will then scan your eye without touching it. Each image and we take two per eye takes about 5 seconds.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is useful in diagnosing and monitoring progression of many eye conditions, including:
• Macular hole;
• Macular pucker;
• Macular oedema;
• Age-related macular degeneration;
• Central serous retinopathy;
• Diabetic retinopathy;
• Preretinal membranes.

In addition, OCT is often used to evaluate disorders of the optic nerve. The optic nerve is made up of many nerve fibers and sends signals from your retina to your brain, where these signals are interpreted as the images you see. The OCT exam is helpful in determining changes to the fibers of the optic nerve, such as those caused by glaucoma, but also related to damage of the nerves from behind the eye such as high blood pressure and even as far as brain tumours.