Probing dynamic processes in the eye at multiple spatial and temporal scales with multimodal full field OCT

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Dynamic processes in the eye are crucial for understanding ocular health and disease.
• Current imaging techniques may lack the resolution, speed, or non-invasive nature required for comprehensive analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present technological advancements in multimodal en face full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT).
• To demonstrate the capability of this technology for label-free, high-resolution, dynamic imaging of ocular structures.

Main Methods:

• Development of multimodal FF-OCT systems integrating static, dynamic, and fluorescence contrasts.
• Achieving high lateral resolution over a large field of view with acquisition rates of several hundred frames per second.
• Utilizing contactless and non-destructive imaging techniques.

Main Results:

• Successful detection of both slow and fast dynamic processes within the eye.
• Label-free, high-resolution imaging of the retina and anterior eye with temporal resolution ranging from milliseconds to hours.
• Probing biological activity at subcellular scales within 3D bulk tissue.

Conclusions:

• Multimodal FF-OCT is a promising tool for in vitro sample evolution studies and in vivo human eye imaging.
• The technology offers significant potential for clinical applications and advanced biomedical research.
• This advancement enables unprecedented insights into ocular physiology and pathology.