OPTICAL COHERANCE TOMOGRAPHY

The use of OCT in optician practices is still extremely rare with only a handful of instruments in the UK. Many hospitals have yet to embrace this stunning new technology which advances the practice of optometry by a decade.

On the basis that I will invest in new technology that benefits my patients I took delivery of my Optovue RTVue in December 2008 and the positive effects for my patients have exceeded my wildest expectations.

My eye examinations now include OCT which is able to elucidate early stages of many conditions, most of which are now treatable. It also allows me to monitor conditions against time and therefore to evaluate treatment regimes.

This technology is rather like ultrasound but uses light at 840nm. The images obtained are similar to the above. It’s rather like being able to look at a piece of saturated plywood from the side – we can see the bumps and holes whereas looking at a flat sheet would not show these abnormalities.