Use of a combined slit‐lamp SD‐OCT to obtain anterior and posterior segment images in selected animal species

Abstract

To obtain images of anterior and posterior segments of the eye using a slit-lamp (SL)/spectral domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) integrated system designed for the human eye, in the cat, dog, minipig and monkey. One healthy adult monkey, one healthy adult minipig, one healthy adult dog, one healthy adult cat, and three cats and four dogs affected by corneal or retinal diseases. A SL SCAN-1 SD-OCT, which is a slit-lamp SL-D7 that contains an integrated OCT module and a fundus viewer, was used to generate OCT images (512-2048), while simultaneously taking 'en-face' slit-lamp images (efSL). OCT images were obtained under sedation or anesthesia. These images were compared to histological retinal sections obtained from a monkey, a minipig, a dog, and a cat. 'en-face' slit-lamp images and OCT images of the ocular tissues were obtained allowing for the identification of different corneal and retinal layers in all animal species. Measurements of the total retinal thickness (TRT) from the inner limiting membrane to the retinal pigment epithelium were performed in various regions throughout the retina. Reduction in TRT was consistent with clinical features of retinal degeneration identified in dogs and cats. This noninvasive procedure is useful for both experimental and clinical assessments of ocular tissue damage. Images of anterior and posterior segments are readily obtained under routine clinical conditions. Future studies are warranted to establish normal OCT data in our patients with this new instrument.