The OCT test uses a light beam, which is not harmful to the eye, in order to scan and image the front of the eye including the cornea, anterior chamber, the angles in the anterior chamber and the iris. Some scans are also able to measure the thickness of the cornea and topographical map of the cornea.

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The OCT testing system has the ability to track the blood vessels of the eye of each patient. This tracking enables us to not only obtain the highest quality of imagery for each unique eye but also allows us to scan each eye in the exact same area as previous scans, within a degree of one micron, to track for any changes that have occurred.

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This is a non-invasive test most often performed while a patient is dilated, although new software allows for patients to be undilated as needed.

The OCT uses a light beam which is not harmful to the eye. The light measures the thickness of the macula, retina and optic nerves. The state-of-the-art software used at Wills Eye Hospital allows us to create topographical maps of the eye and compare the data results to a normative database. Our physicians can read the maps and see if areas of the retina and optic nerve may be thinner or thicker than normal.

NOTE: During OCT tests the patient places his or her chin in a chinrest while pressing their forehead to the forehead rest for several minutes each eye. Blinking is allowed but the patient must remain as still as possible for the best and quickest images to be captured.