Patient Information - Ocular Coherence Tomography

Ocular Coherence Tomography

Purpose:

To take a cross-sectional image through the retina at the back of the eye or the cornea at the front. The machine achieves this by scanning the reflections from different layers in the tissue and then building them into a cross-sectional image. This will allow us to see any damage within the layers of the retina or features in the structure of the eye which are not easily visible.

Procedure:

The patient places their chin on a chin-rest and looks into the lens of the machine at a blue target. We may take several images depending on what information is required. In most cases, the data is compared with a database on the machine to see if it is within the expected values. Progression charts may also be produced showing changes between visits.

How Long Does This Take?

A typical set of scans may take about 5 minutes. This may take longer if there is a poor view of the back of the eye.