Anterior Segment OCT: Real-Time Intraoperative OCT in Corneal Surgery

This chapter gives an overview of the applications of real-time intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) in corneal surgeries. Optical coherence tomography is a noninvasive, noncontact and rapid method of cross-sectional imaging of optical structures. Over the past few years, there have been significant advances in integrative technology of iOCT. iOCT helps assess graft-host relationship in penetrating keratoplasty. In deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty, it helps confirm the presence of a big bubble and acts as a guide for stromal dissection. In endothelial keratoplasty it helps monitor steps from scoring of descemet membrane to apposition of the graft at the end of surgery. The assembly and implantation of keratoprosthesis can be checked using iOCT. Its use in collagen cross-linking has also been well documented. With the introduction of iOCT, there has been a paradigm shift in surgical visualization during ophthalmic surgery. The technological advances in iOCT will continue to increase their usefulness in the near future.