Imaging subsurface photodisruption in human sclera with FD-OCT

Photodisruption of femtosecond laser at 1700nm wavelength has been demonstrated as a potential subsurface surgical method that can be used in trabeculectomy for glaucoma treatment without causing failure due to scarring at the level of conjunctiva and underlying tissue [1, 2]. In this study, Fourier domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) technology is used to demonstrate high speed non-invasive imaging of high precision photodisruption in human sclera. Photodisruption cavities of different size in human sclera can reveal itself in its 3D FDOCT image. Transclera channel cut from back to surface and partial transclera channel are easily identified in 3D OCT image. The whole 3D data set acquired with high speed frequency domain OCT system permits further quantitative analysis of subsurface phitodisruption incisions. The preliminary results indicate that high speed frequency domain OCT system is a good candidate for imaging subsurface photodisruption with femtosecond laser and its 3D image may provide good guidance during surgical procedures when it is integrated with laser ablation system.