Ultra-high resolution and long scan depth optical coherence tomography with full-phase detection for imaging the...

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate imaging of the ocular surface is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring various eye conditions.
• Existing imaging technologies may have limitations in resolution, depth range, or speed for comprehensive ocular surface assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a high-performance spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) system for imaging the entire ocular surface.
• To demonstrate the system's capability for precise quantification and high-speed, high-resolution imaging.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a unique combination of four advanced technologies: ultra-high resolution, extended depth range, full-phase interferometry, and high-speed complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) camera detection.
• Developed a segmentation algorithm for surface determination from the acquired images.

Main Results:

• Achieved unprecedented performance for precise quantification of a wide range of the ocular surface.
• Successfully obtained high-speed and high-resolution images of a model eye, extending beyond the corneal-scleral junction.
• Demonstrated excellent accuracy and precision in surface measurements using the segmentation algorithm.

Conclusions:

• The developed SD-OCT system is suitable for comprehensive ocular surface imaging.
• The system offers high-speed and high-resolution capabilities for precise quantification, advancing ocular surface diagnostics.
• The demonstrated accuracy and precision highlight the system's potential for clinical applications.