OCT Scanning

This is an OCT of a normal macula. The depression in the middle of the picture is called the foveola.

This accounts for the most central part of your vision.

This is an OCT of dry macular degeneration. There are drusen, underneath the retina (the grey 'lumps' visible at the bottom of the picture). Drusen are accumulations of waste product, that can damage the macula resulting in loss of vision.

For more information about dry macular degeneration, please click here.

In this OCT of wet macular degeneration, there is a pigment epithelial detachment (the large bubble at the bottom-left of the retina) associated with some sub-retinal fluid.

Leakage of fluid is the hall-mark of wet macular degeneration, and indicates an abnormal blood vessel growing underneath the retina. This may result in sudden vision loss through haemorrhage, or the formation of scar tissue.

For more information about wet macular degeneration, please click here.

This is a typical OCT of CSR. Subretinal fluid has elevated the retina causing a 'grey patch' in the center of this patients' vision.

For more information about CSR, please click here.

Maculopathy is a common cause of vision loss in patients with diabetes. The OCT at the top, shows swelling of the macula in a diabetic, which is lessened following treatment with intravitreal avastin (bottom OCT).

For more information about diabetic maculopathy, please click here.

Retinal vein occlusion is a common cause of vision loss. The OCT shown above is in a patient with a central retinal vein occlusion. It demonstrates retinal thickening due to intra-retinal oedema, with a very small amount of subretinal fluid.  

For more information about retinal vein occlusions, please click here.

Glaucoma is a disease where the optic nerve becomes progressively damaged - usually due to high pressure inside the eye. Since the OCT is able to take very high resolution images of the optic nerve head, it is possible to detect a worsening of the disease earlier than would otherwise be possible.

However, the OCT test does need to be interpreted properly, and in conjunction with many other factors, such as the intraocular pressure, visual fields and a detailed clinical examination.