Optical coherence tomography findings in uveitis

The development of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the early 1990s was one of the most powerful and exciting advances for imaging the internal microstructure of biologic tissues.¹ Optical coherence tomography is a particularly powerful ophthalmic imaging technique, as it provides real-time, noncontact, cross-sectional imaging of the anterior eye and retina, yielding images of tissue pathology without the need for invasive biopsy procedures and histopathologic staining. While OCT has far-reaching applications, it has been used increasingly to evaluate and manage a variety of posterior segment disorders, in particular, retinal pathologies. For example, it has been used to diagnose and guide treatment decisions in eyes with macular holes, vitreomacular traction, choroidal neovascularization, epiretinal membranes, and many more conditions. Moreover, it has been particularly useful for diagnosis and monitoring of retinal nerve head fiber thickness for glaucoma² and macular edema associated with diabetic retinopathy or other macular conditions.^3,4 This chapter reviews the basic principles of OCT and presents cases of chorioretinal inflammatory disease in which OCT was helpful in diagnosis or management.