Optical Coherence Tomography

Quick, safe and informative--this new retina scanner is a glimpse into the future of patient care

“Mrs. Smith, your retina biopsy is complete. After examining a slice of your inner eye under a high-powered microscope, we are able to determine your vision problem…and we never even touched your eye!”

Does this statement sound space-aged? Welcome to the new world of high-tech medicine, where breakthroughs in ophthalmic imaging make the retina's inner workings transparent to a degree unimaginable even a few years ago.

It’s called Optical Coherence Tomography, “OCT” for short. OCT is a non-invasive technology used for imaging the retina, the multi-layered sensory tissue lining the back of the eye. OCT, the first instrument to allow doctors to see cross-sectional images of the retina, is revolutionizing the early detection and treatment of eye conditions such as macular holes, pre-retinal membranes, macular swelling and even optic nerve damage.

Not long after being introduced to the ophthalmic community, OCT was employed at The Macula Center by Dana Deupree, M.D., F.A.C.S. “Having the ability to follow-up certain retinal conditions with serial OCT studies has greatly enhanced our quality of patient care,” says Dr. Deupree.

Similar to CT scans of internal organs, OCT uses the optical backscattering of light to rapidly scan the eye and describe a pixel representation of the anatomic layers within the retina. Each of these ten important layers can be differentiated and their thickness can be measured. Dr. Deupree, knowing the normal thickness of a healthy retinal layer, can then distinguish a multitude of retinal diseases and conditions.

In 2007, OCT was named one of the top 10 medical innovations expected to improve healthcare, by a panel of researchers and physicians from Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio.

For certain conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration and cystoid macular edema, the 45 second OCT procedure is able to reduce or eliminate the need for fluorescein angiography for some patients.

Dr. Deupree is among the first vitreo-retinal specialists in Florida to utilize the innovative, exciting technology of OCT. Having the most modern equipment available reflects Dr. Deupree’s enormous efforts to obtain his objective of a highly efficient, ultra-modern retina center with advanced technology and research capacity.