4D dynamic imaging of the eye using ultrahigh speed SS-OCT

Abstract

Recent advances in swept-source / Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) technology enable in vivo ultrahigh speed imaging, offering a promising technique for four-dimensional (4-D) imaging of the eye. Using an ultrahigh speed tunable vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) light source based SS-OCT prototype system, we performed imaging of human eye dynamics in four different imaging modes: 1) Pupillary reaction to light at 200,000 axial scans per second and 9 μm resolution in tissue. 2) Anterior eye focusing dynamics at 100,000 axial scans per second and 9 μm resolution in tissue. 3) Tear film break up at 50,000 axial scans per second and 19 μm resolution in tissue. 4) Retinal blood flow at 800,000 axial scans per second and 12 μm resolution in tissue. The combination of tunable ultrahigh speeds and long coherence length of the VCSEL along with the outstanding roll-off performance of SS-OCT makes this technology an ideal tool for time-resolved volumetric imaging of the eye. Visualization and quantitative analysis of 4-D OCT data can potentially provide insight to functional and structural changes in the eye during disease progression. Ultrahigh speed imaging using SS-OCT promises to enable novel 4-D visualization of realtime dynamic processes of the human eye. Furthermore, this non-invasive imaging technology is a promising tool for research to characterize and understand a variety of visual functions.