The role of OCT in the differential diagnosis between buried optic nerve drusen and papilloedema

Buried optic nerve head drusen are one of the most common causes of pseudo-papilloedema. In this review, we have chronologically addressed several useful traits in the differential diagnosis of a true papilloedema, using the different features of optical coherence tomography (OCT). The specificity of these features has improved at the same time as the improvement in penetration capability and resolution of newer OCT devices. Spectral domain OCT, and more specifically the enhanced depth imaging (EDI) technology, represents a turning point in directly visualise drusen, to quantify their size and to recognise their impact on neighbouring structures inside the optic nerve head.