Let's learn about the OCT scan (Optical Coherence Tomography) that looks deep inside your eye.

Have you ever wondered how a doctor can see the tiny nerves and layers inside your eye? It's like cutting your eye open and taking clear pictures, but it's painless. This amazing technology is called an OCT scan. Your eye doctor may have told you about it, or you may have heard the name before. Let's take a look at what it is and why it's so important.

Simply put, what is an OCT scan?

Optical Coherence Tomography, or as we all know it, an OCT scan , is a special method that can take very clear cross-sectional images of the parts inside the eye, without entering the eye in any way (non-invasive).

The best example to understand this is an ultrasound scan. You know, ultrasound scans are used to look at a baby in the womb, or to look at organs inside the body. What happens there is that sound waves are sent into the body and the way they are reflected back is measured to create a picture. The same thing happens in OCT, but instead of sound waves, light waves (infrared light) are used. These light rays go into our eyes and are reflected back by the retina at the back of the eye. The incoming light is measured and a computer creates a very clear, layer-by-layer, three-dimensional (3D) image that can be viewed.

This technology allows ophthalmologists to measure the thickness of the most important parts of your eye and to detect any damage, swelling, or changes in them with great precision. Previously, there was no way to see things like this so clearly. But OCT technology has revolutionized ophthalmology.

This is not limited to the eyes. This technology is now being used in fields such as cardiology, neurology, and oncology to examine things like blood vessels.

When should you have an OCT test?

Your ophthalmologist may suggest an OCT test if he or she has any concerns during a routine eye exam, or if they suspect a medical condition based on your symptoms.

Imagine this. You're over 50 years old and have diabetes. When you go for a routine eye exam, the doctor says, "It looks like your eye pressure is a little high, and your diabetes may be affecting your optic nerve. Let's do an OCT to see what's going on inside."

Also, people with certain medical conditions may continue to have symptoms, even if they don't have any.OCT scans are used to monitor changes in the eye. For example, a person with glaucoma may have an OCT scan done about once a year to see if the damage to the optic nerve has increased or remained the same compared to previous scans. This can help measure the success of treatments and adjust treatment if necessary.

What eye diseases can be detected and managed with an OCT?

An OCT scan is most commonly used to examine the back of the eye, namely the retina and optic nerve. This can help detect many serious diseases that directly affect our vision. You can get a good idea of ​​this from the table below.

Not only this, there are also cases where OCT technology can be used to examine the anterior segments of the eye before eye surgery.

How is this test done? Is it as difficult as you think?

Absolutely not! An OCT scan is a simple, painless procedure that can be completed in a few minutes . It doesn't require any special preparation or dietary restrictions. It can even be done right after your regular eye exam.

Here's what happens step by step:

1. Dilation: Sometimes, to get clearer pictures of the inside of your eye, your doctor will put eye drops in your eye to dilate the pupil. This is not always necessary.

2. Sitting in front of the machine: You will then be seated in a chair in front of the OCT scanner. Your chin and forehead will be placed on a support attached to the machine. This will help keep your head still and not move.

3. Staring at a single spot: Next, you will be asked to stare at a small green light inside the machine without blinking.

4. Scanning: While you wait, the machine will scan one of your eyes. You may see a red line moving around. Nothing will hit your eye, and you will not feel any pain. Scanning one eye will take a short time, about a minute or two. The most important thing is to stay as still as possible during this time.

Once one eye is finished, the other eye is scanned in the same way. That's it! The whole process is very quick.

Are there any side effects from the OCT test?

This is the best thing. There are no risks or side effects to the examination performed with the OCT scanner. It is 100% safe.

However, as we discussed earlier, if you use eye drops to enlarge your black eye before the test, it may cause some temporary discomfort.

• Blurred vision for a few hours.
• Sensitivity to bright light(It's a good idea to wear a pair of sunglasses when going outside).
• Some people may also experience a headache .

What do we learn from the results?

Once the scan is complete, the images are displayed on a computer screen. Your ophthalmologist will carefully examine the images. They will look for things like the thickness of the layers of the eye, any swelling, fluid buildup, or damage to nerve fibers.

If you have had an OCT test before, your doctor will compare the new images with the old ones. This will help you accurately assess how your condition has changed over time (has it gotten worse, has it gotten better, or has it stayed the same).

After analyzing the results, the doctor will explain the situation to you. Based on the results of this test, decisions will be made about your future treatment and whether you need to change your current treatment.

What time should I see the doctor?

Never skip your regular eye exams. This can help you catch many serious problems early. In addition, if you experience any of the symptoms below, see your doctor right away.

• New or persistent eye pain .
• Difficulty seeing clearly or distinguishing colors .
• Eye floaters or flashes of light in front of the eyes.
• Sudden loss of vision or significant reduction in vision.

Don't ignore these things. Sometimes they can be the first signs of a serious illness.