The OCT 3D imaging system has really and truly revolutionised the practice of eyecare. We are now detecting, diagnosing and treating or monitoring eye health issues quicker, more efficiently and with greater accuracy than ever before. The OCT provides a real-time live view of your retina and cornea with a level of detail comparable to that of a low power microscope. We can discern the layers of nerve cells and photoreceptors (the light sensitive parts of the retina) as well as intra-retinal blood vessels. It is particularly useful in the detection and assessment of both macula disease and Glaucoma.

An analysis video of the 3D output of a retinal scan for a patient with a normal retinal structure. The video slices through the layers to give a view "inside" the retina itself.

OCT scanning is rather like an ultrasound scan of your eye, however, with important distinction that it uses invisible light rather than sound to create the image. Because light has a shorter wavelength than sound we can achieve much higher resolution and see in much more detail than a conventional ultrasound scan.

Infra-red light is focused on tissue within the eye which is then scattered by the various layers and structures of  the tissue in varying amounts. As the infra red light then reflects back to the detector the scattered light contains different focusing lengths which is analysed by sophisticated software to produce a three dimensional representation of the ocular tissue structure. The system also takes a conventional photograph of the area of interest which can be point by point registered with the 3D scan allowing direct comparison.

A normal foveal pit seen here as an actual retina photograph overlayed onto a 3D profile of the retina.

3D image of the OCT scan above in the page header image. The mound you see is a collection of fluid within the layers of the retina.

We recommend OCT for everyone as part of our comprehensive eye examination. OCT gives an unrivaled level of detail to the ocular examination.