Background and Objective To demonstrate the feasibility of using a 1050 nm swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) system to achieve noninvasive retinal vasculature imaging in human eyes. Materials and Methods Volumetric datasets were acquired using a ZEISS 1 µm SS-OCT prototype that operated at an A-line rate of 100 kHz. A scanning protocol designed to allow for motion contrast processing, referred to as OCT angiography or optical microangiography (OMAG), was used to scan ~3 mm × 3 mm area in the central macular region of the retina within ~4.5 seconds. Intensity differentiation based OMAG algorithm was used to extract 3-D retinal functional microvasculature information. Results Intensity signal differentiation generated capillary-level resolution en face OMAG images of the retina. The parafoveal capillaries were clearly visible, thereby allowing visualization of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in normal subjects. Conclusion The capability of OMAG to produce retinal vascular images was demonstrated using the ZEISS 1 µm SS-OCT prototype. This technique can potentially have clinical value for studying retinal vasculature abnormalities.

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Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) allows for the evaluation of functional retinal vascular networks without a need for contrast dyes. For sophisticated monitoring and diagnosis of retinal diseases, OCTA capable of providing wide-field and high definition images of retinal vasculature in a single image is desirable. We report OCTA with motion tracking through an auxiliary real-time line scan ophthalmoscope that is clinically feasible to image functional retinal vasculature in patients, with a coverage of more than 60 degrees of retina while still maintaining high definition and resolution. We demonstrate six illustrative cases with unprecedented details of vascular involvement in retinal diseases. In each case, OCTA yields images of the normal and diseased microvasculature at all levels of the retina, with higher resolution than observed with fluorescein angiography. Wide-field OCTA technology will be an important next step in augmenting the utility of OCT technology in clinical practice.

Multiple scattering in a sample presents a significant limitation to achieve meaningful structural information at deeper penetration depths in optical coherence tomography (OCT). Previous studies suggest that the spectral region around 1.7 µm may exhibit reduced scattering coefficients in biological tissues compared to the widely used wavelengths around 1.3 µm. To investigate this long-wavelength region, we developed a wavelength-swept laser at 1.7 µm wavelength and conducted OCT or optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) for the first time in this spectral range. The constructed laser is capable of providing a wide tuning range from 1.59 to 1.75 µm over 160 nm. When the laser was operated with a reduced tuning range over 95 nm at a repetition rate of 10.9 kHz and an average output power of 12.3 mW, the OFDI imaging system exhibited a sensitivity of about 100 dB and axial and lateral resolution of 24 µm and 14 µm, respectively. We imaged several phantom and biological samples using 1.3 µm and 1.7 µm OFDI systems and found that the depth-dependent signal decay rate is substantially lower at 1.7 µm wavelength in most, if not all samples. Our results suggest that this imaging window may offer an advantage over shorter wavelengths by increasing the penetration depths as well as enhancing image contrast at deeper penetration depths where otherwise multiple scattered photons dominate over ballistic photons.

OMAG provided detailed, depth- resolved information about the perifoveal macular microvasculature in MacTel2. In most cases, images were better using OMAG than FA. The OMAG images demonstrated that most of the leakage seen on FA appeared to arise from the abnormal perifoveal microvasculature in the middle retinal layer.