Swept Source OCT- Lighting up the World of Darkness Developments made in the field of science have changed the way many medical problems are not only perceived but also cured. With latest advances, not only diagnosis but also the treatment of previously unidentified and grave diseases takes place very easily now. Swept source OCT is one of the few such developments that have turned into a big boon for medical ophthalmologists all over the world. Optical coherence tomography or OCT was 1st introduced in 2012 for help in diagnosis and treatment of optical disorders. What is swept source? An optical light source, Swept-source OCT is able to scan through different wavelengths to produce an image of the eye. It helps in diagnosis of eye diseases such as glaucoma and optical cancers such as melanoma and lymphomas. It has a fast scanning speed, deeper imaging range, higher penetration intensity and offers good resolution imaging of the retina and adjacent tissues. All of these help in easy diagnosis and treatment of optical diseases.
Need for Swept Source Advent and improper use of technology have led to widespread disorders, often involving the eyes. Rays from sources such as laptops, tabs, mobiles etc. have led to an increase in ophthalmic disorders. Necessity is the mother of invention, therefore, the swept source is considered an important development. It is a type of laser, which offers higher resolution, deeper penetration, long coherence length and faster acquisition time. These factors combined together make it the perfect optical source for OCT. Despite the presence of pre-retinal hemorrhages, use of swept source OCT makes visualization of retinal structures such as retina and choroid extremely easy. SS-OCT has become a vital part of modern day ophthalmology.
Importance of Swept Source-OCT Among the various uses of the SS-OCT system, the most important one is the proper diagnosis of ophthalmic issues. • • • •
It provides a high transverse resolution (important for scanning and procuring a proper image of the retina) not possible with other laser sources. It is important in the diagnosis of different optical cancers apart from central serous chorioretinopathy and uveitis. Used to detect glaucoma, identify the risk factors as well as for the understanding of the mechanism involved in the disease. Apart from ophthalmic applications, swept source OCT is also used in other medical fields. It has been used for diagnosis of lung disorders, in clinical gastroenterology, for OCT angiography as well as to determine tissue elasticity.