Anterior and posterior eye imaging associated with intraocular pressure by combined swept source optical coherence tomography and flexible pressure sensor

Abstract

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is now a popular high resolution optical imaging technology capable of providing three-dimension images of internal microstructures within biological tissues. To date, the most successful application of OCT has been in ophthalmology, where the technology has become an indispensable diagnostic tool. It has proven able to image the structural changes due to various eye diseases. Besides, those structural changes may also be associated with certain physiological conditions, for instance, vessel density changes resulting from intraocular pressure change. Intraocular pressure (IOP) can also serve as an important physiological marker for the diagnosis of ophthalmic diseases. Therefore, in this study, we aim to develop ophthalmic OCT combined with a novel flexible pressure sensor for retina imaging and intraocular pressure measurement. A swept source OCT (SS-OCT) system is designed, and its axial resolution is about 5 μm. The OCT system is specially designed to allow for both anterior and posterior eye segment imaging. The anterior eye segment imaging is dedicated to measure the contact area between the pressure sensor and the cornea, which is needed by the pressure sensor to calculate the intraocular pressure. This system will be a versatile ophthalmic imaging platform: (1) conventional anterior and posterior eye imaging; (2) intraocular pressure measurement. Further, it will serve as a useful tool aiding in eye disease diagnostics in clinics.