Optical Coherence Tomography: imaging of age related maculopathy

Background Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in the developed world in patients over 60 years. AMD is characterized by two distinct forms: dry and wet. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive, useful and reproducible diagnostic tool that provides cross-sectional images of retina and has a primary role for diagnostic and therapeutic management of AMD. The spread of anti-VEGF intravitreal injection for therapy of wet AMD further emphasized the role of OCT for treatment algorithms allowing a precise characterization of lesions and strict non-invasive retinal monitoring in the follow-up. Main indications and limits of OCT will be discussed as well as the various morphological presentations of dry and wet AMD underlying retinal changes before and after therapy.