Optical coherence tomography of the human retina.

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate optical coherence tomography for high-resolution, noninvasive imaging of the human retina. Optical coherence tomography is a new imaging technique analogous to ultrasound B scan that can provide cross-sectional images of the retina with micrometer-scale resolution. DESIGN Survey optical coherence tomographic examination of the retina, including the macula and optic nerve head in normal human subjects. SETTING Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Convenience sample of normal human subjects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Correlation of optical coherence retinal tomographs with known normal retinal anatomy. RESULTS Optical coherence tomographs can discriminate the cross-sectional morphologic features of the fovea and optic disc, the layered structure of the retina, and normal anatomic variations in retinal and retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses with 10-microns depth resolution. CONCLUSION Optical coherence tomography is a potentially useful technique for high depth resolution, cross-sectional examination of the fundus.

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