Value of optical coherence tomography for anterior segment surgery

• Published in: Journal of cataract and refractive surgery Vol. 36; no. 7; pp. 1213 - 1229
• Main Authors: Doors, Muriël, MD, Berendschot, Tos T.J.M., PhD, de Brabander, John, PhD, Webers, Carroll A.B., MD, PhD, Nuijts, Rudy M.M.A., MD, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01-07-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anterior Eye Segment - pathology; Anterior Eye Segment - surgery; Biological and medical sciences; Eye Diseases - diagnosis; Humans; Medical sciences; Ophthalmology; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the eye and orbit; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Value; Treatment; Ophthalmology; Optical coherence tomography; Anterior segment; Surgery
• ISSN: 0886-3350; 1873-4502
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2010.05.002

Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) is an important new noncontact imaging technology that uses a 1310 nm super luminescent diode. It can be used to assess anterior chamber biometry, corneal thickness, lens thickness, and angle configuration; to visualize pathological processes; to evaluate postsurgical anatomy and posttraumatic eyes; and to image phakic intraocular lenses and intracorneal ring segments. Because it is a noncontact technique, it can also be used intraoperatively, which could be useful during trabeculectomy and after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty to detect abnormalities in the cornea and interface. A disadvantage of AS-OCT is its inability to penetrate the iris pigment epithelium, which makes it impossible to evaluate the structures behind the iris. The most frequently used devices are time-domain AS-OCT, but new Fourier-domain OCT devices, which have faster image acquisition and higher resolution, are currently under investigation. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.