Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY (OCTA)

An optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is an innovative, cutting edge, non-invasive vascular imaging technology that allows the doctors to visualize the microvasculature of the retina and underlying tissues to diagnose and monitor a wide range of eye diseases. Diagnosis and management of pathologies such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion and glaucoma are greatly facilitated by the use of OCTA and the conditions can be easily monitored using the vascular quantitative data.

A black and white or grey-scale optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) scan showing convoluted new blood vessels from macular degeneration
An optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) scan showing new vessel growth (neovascular membrane) in the deep layers of the eye that occurs in macular degeneration. The scan is performed without any injection of dye.

The technique is quick to perform and provides unprecedented high-resolution images of the vascular structures of the retina. It is also non-invasive, without the use of any contrast dye injections. Previously, the only way to visualize the vascular structures of the retina was with fluorescein angiography, a technique that involves the injection of a contrast dye.

City Eye Centre uses the latest Plex Elite (Carl Zeiss) OCT angiography which has high-resolution, ultra-wide field capability. We are also part of the global Advanced Retinal Imaging (ARI) network, a select group of world-wide centres of excellence to further develop this technology. Retinal specialists within the ARI network are focused on implementing and experimenting with new and innovative technology to develop new clinical applications.