Abstract
Purpose :
Vitreous opacities, also known as floaters, are a common phenomenon in most people’s lives. For those who suffer from a more severe amount of these floaters, laser vitreolysis is one treatment option. But due to the manual handling of the procedure, there is a significant risk to misguide the laser into critical areas near retina or lens. To enhance the safety for the patient and simplify the handling for the physician we introduce a method to visualize and segment vitreous opacities via optical coherence tomography for an improved computer-guided procedure. Moreover, we present an easy method to build eye models for training and testing purposes in ophthalmology.
Methods :
We developed a Swept Source OCT setup that is specialized to capture the vitreous volume inside a silicone model eye with a high volume per second rate. Our lens setup allows us to shift the laser focus through the whole eye, thus no change of the patient contact interface is necessary. Our custom-made software segments and visualizes floaters in the two- and three-dimensional space, optimized for the high-speed B-Scan rate of the OCT. To adapt the eye model to reality, we also developed a new procedure to create hollow silicone eyes that are suitable for clinical patient contact interfaces and can be filled with a viscous floater solution.
Results :
The combination of a patient contact interface and our silicone eye model enables a clear view inside the eye for camera and OCT view. We are able to segment single B-Scans in under 10 milliseconds. The software highlights the floater material and provides suitable coordinates for the laser treatment. To prevent treatment near critical structures like retina and lens, their distance from the floater material can be measured.
Conclusions :
We introduced a simple method to create silicone eyes that could be used for other training purposes in the field of ophthalmology as well. With our OCT setup and software, we present a way to improve the safety for the patient and simplify the procedure for the physician.
IGF- Vorhaben Nr: 21011 N; Feinmechanik, Optik und Medizintechnik; Funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy based on a resolution of German Bundestag
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.