[Intraoperative OCT in ophthalmic microsurgery]

Recent improvements in technology have enabled integration of SD-OCT into the optical path of an operating microscope. Here we present an overview of possible applications of iOCT (intraoperative optical coherence tomography) for retinal, glaucoma and corneal surgery. iOCT-based imaging can not only improve safety and quality of the surgery but also the learning curve of the surgeon. The ability to visualize barely visible or transparent structures with iOCT has achieved a significant added value intraoperatively, particularly in macular surgery, trabeculectomy and lamellar keratoplasty. Further, systematic assessment is warranted to define the usefulness of the iOCT more precisely.