Diagnostyka chorób oczu wciąż jest przez wielu bagatelizowana i kojarzy się z czymś nieprzyjemnym. Tymczasem ma ona niebagatelne znaczenie m.in. w diagnozie jaskry czy zwyrodnienia plamki żółtej. Współcześnie istnieje wiele bezinwazyjnych metod badania siatkówki czy tylnej części gałki ocznej, które w kilka chwil oferują nam ich pełen obraz.
What does SOCT mean?
SOCT stands for Spectral Optical Coherence Tomography, or in other words, a very detailed examination that images the retina using a coherent (coherent) light beam. Today, OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography), as this is also the acronym you may encounter, is one of the most up-to-date diagnostic methods, which makes it possible to detect many changes in the retina and is therefore extremely helpful in the diagnosis of many diseases, such as macular degeneration.
The retina (Latin retina) is a specific structure of the eye in the form of a membrane, located on the posterior surface of the eyeball, with the task of receiving visual stimuli from the world by means of nerve cells: rods and cones, bipolar cells and multipolar cells. The stimuli collected by means of the nerve cells are transmitted via the optic nerve to the brain. If any part of the retina is not working properly, our ocular optic system is unable to produce the correct signal for the brain. This can produce a variety of visual symptoms, however, many abnormalities can remain asymptomatic for a long time. It is therefore important to undergo an OCT examination of the fundus at least once a year and, if there is any doubt about the result of this examination, to perform a spectral OCT.
Conversely, what might prompt us to get tested early, and who in particular should have their retinal health monitored regularly?
Why a CT scan of the eye?
Grupy osób najbardziej narażone na problemy z siatkówką to cukrzycy, pacjenci cierpiący na nadciśnienie oraz osoby z wadami wzroku, szczególnie z wysoką krótkowzrocznością. Ponadto, gdy miewasz migreny, odczuwasz ucisk na gałkę oczną, ból lub zauważysz exophthalmos or one eye, this should prompt you to have a proper OCT examination. Also visual effects such as sudden flashes, darkness in front of the eyes, temporary blindness, double vision whether narrowing of the visual field and glare can indicate a problem with the retina. If you are in your third trimester of pregnancy and have a high visual impairment, it is also a good idea to have your retinal condition analysed.
What does the SOCT examination provide?
Many people wonder what an OCT scan detects. Optical coherence tomography detects many diseases, including:
- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD),
- Glaucoma,
- diabetic maculopathy,
- macular oedema,
- spot hole,
- pre-placental fibrosis,
- central serous retinopathy.
Any patient already struggling with any of the above-mentioned diseases should be under constant ophthalmological control in an office equipped with high-quality equipment that performs scans of the retina, the back of the eyeball.
What does retinal tomography involve?
OCT examination is designed to show any abnormalities of the retinal membrane, possible abrasion and degeneration, as well as its detachment. It involves accurately scanning multiple cross-sections of the retina with a 3D light beam, recording where the beam passes where the refractive index changes and imaging its structures in all planes.
The Copernicus REVO SOCT scanner used at our facility recognises 8 layers of the retina, making it possible to pinpoint the location of lesions and diagnose correctly. On the other hand, the high-density 3D scanning provides extreme accuracy in tracking changes in the retinal structure over time. This enables the doctor to analyse progression maps and select appropriate treatment methods.
What does a CT scan of the eye look like?
Course of the study
The OCT examination can be repeatedly undergone at any age. Even periods of pregnancy and breastfeeding are not a contraindication. The examination is completely non-invasive, quick and not burdensome for the patient, as, among other things, no special preparation is required. It is only necessary to stare at the image indicated by the verbal instructions and to refrain from blinking for a short while. Immediately after the examination, the patient receives a graphic result and a description from the diagnostician.
How to interpret the OCT results of the eye?
In medicine, any self-interpretation of test results is inappropriate. In order to obtain professional and reliable information about your condition, you should consult a specialist. An ophthalmologist is able, on the basis of the images produced by the eye CT scanner, not only to interpret the OCT examination appropriately, but also, in the case of possible changes within the eye, to implement the appropriate treatment and further recommendations. It is he who is best able to assess, among other things, the thickness of the nerve fibres near the optic nerve disc, to take a proper look at the cross-sections of the fundus of the eye, guided by his specialist knowledge and experience.
What does the OCT RNFL study consist of?
Badanie SOCT nerwu wzrokowego RNFL (Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer), czyli analiza morfologii tarczy nerwu wzrokowego oraz analiza grubości włókien nerwowych i komórek zwojowych otaczających tarczę nerwu wzrokowego, a także pomiar kąta przesączania, pozwalają na szybkie wykrywanie zmian jaskrowych. Jest to badanie OCT szczególnie wskazane u pacjentów z krótkowzrocznością, ze zmianami plamki żółtej, chorobą niedokrwienną oka w wyniku hiperlipidemii czy ze zmianami rogówkowymi lub u których występuje obrzęk plamki. Dzięki doskonałej i nieinwazyjnej analizie tarczy nerwu wzrokowego okulista otrzymuje dokładny jej obraz.
What does the angio-OCT study consist of?
The examination of the optic nerve, posterior segment of the eyeball or retina by means of tomography has more than one name. The latest method for analysing the morphology of the optic disc is also angiographic OCT. Unlike other types of angiography, such as fluorescein angiography, no dyes need to be used during the examination. Like OCT examination, it is a non-invasive method that provides an excellent view of the microcirculation in all layers of the retina. Thanks to the three-dimensional image obtained in a single scan, an extremely comprehensive examination of the eye is possible. Angio-OCT is used in: the diagnosis of glaucoma, in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinal vascular clots or the detection of tumours.
The angiographic OCT examination itself is completely safe for the patient and also requires no special preparation. Although, as during the OCT examination, it requires cooperation on the part of the patient, i.e. the patient must remain in a stable, unmoving position for a while.
How much does an OCT scan cost?
On a day-to-day basis, we often underestimate even minor changes to the retina and fundus, noticing a deterioration in our vision. Meanwhile, appropriate diagnostics is a key element of our visual organ health. Today, such examinations, including OCT eye examinations, do not require special preparation and are completely safe.
An OCT examination also saves time, as an eye CT scan is a three-dimensional image obtained in a few moments.
Today, OCT examination of the eye is a remarkable tool in the diagnosis of retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, in the diagnosis of glaucoma or in the follow-up and treatment of optic nerve diseases caused by diabetes, such as diabetic macular oedema (CMO).
Warto podkreślić, że badanie OCT to dziś koszt około 200 zł. Oczywiście uzależnione jest to od rodzaju tomografii komputerowej. W wielu klinikach oferuje się również pełne pakiety diagnostyczne, np. badanie OCT połączone m.in. z wewnątrzgałkowymi pomiarami ciśnienia. Jak widzimy, takie badanie to niewielka cena za profesjonalną diagnozę stanu naszych oczu.
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