Intraocular light scattering affects the contrast of the image created on the retina thus reducing the vision quality. Although generally the ocular components are transparent, the microstructural changes associated with ageing or external factors can affect intraocular light scattering. The presence of opacifications is an indicator of vision-affecting diseases such as corneal dystrophies, crystalline lens cataracts, vitreous floaters etc. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging modality enabling generation of micrometer resolution, two-dimensional (2-D) cross-sectional images and three-dimensional (3-D) volumetric data presenting internal structure of optically scattering tissues. In OCT, back-scattered light can be used to visualize the structure of the eye. The advantages of this interferometric imaging modality include also high sensitivity, which enables detection of ultralow scattered light levels obtained from weakly scattering tissues such as the vitreous body. In this talk, we will demonstrate in vivo enhanced three-dimensional visualization of vitreous and lens opacities in subjects of different ages using a swept source OCT system. We developed OCT instrument operating at the central wavelength of 1050 nm that was able to generate the cross-sectional images with axial resolution of 8 μm. Volumetric images were used to effectively map the opacities and to generate en-face projection images of opacities. The results revealed the changes in the transparency of the crystalline lens as well as liquefaction and scattering from well-organized opacified structures in the vitreous. The proposed imaging platform can be a new-generation ophthalmic diagnostic tool in the fundamental studies as well as for objective clinical evaluation and management of eye diseases
About the speaker
Associate Professor at Nicolaus Copernicus University Dean’s Proxy for Internationalization & Mobility and Erasmus+ Coordinator Faculty of Physics, Astronomy, and Computer Science NCU
