Optical coherence tomography for humanity

Photonics for early disease detection

OCT, or optical coherence tomography, which includes SD-OCT, spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and SS-OCT, or swept-source optical coherence tomography, is a well-established technique for medical imaging that can enable early disease detection.

Today, OCT is an important diagnostic tool often recommended to those with access to an annual optometry check-up. If the ‘eyes are the window to the soul,’ the eyes are also early indicators of diabetes, heart and kidney disease. Earlier intervention can significantly improve our ability to treat these silent killers and prevent vision impairment and blindness.

Visual impairment and blindness rates are expected to double by 2050 ⁱ

95% of severe vision loss from diabetic retinopathy can be prevented by early detection ⁱⁱ

1.1 billion people globally suffer from vision loss due to lack of access to necessary eye care ⁱⁱⁱ

Medical device OEMs are now innovating to improve access and enable earlier detection. With improvements in photonic components and OCT systems, instrument companies are working to broaden access by enabling lower-cost, more compact systems suitable for home or clinic and drugstore use.

Application overview: OCT

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a technology that uses the coherence of light to image fine structures inside samples. OCT is a high-speed, high-resolution, non-invasive diagnostic tool for ophthalmology that allows for real-time observation of the retina and nerve fiber layer and can provide early detection of the symptoms of diseases such as:

Glaucoma
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD)
Diabetic retinopathy

Beyond eye care, OCT has diagnostic applications for cardiovascular, dermatology, endoscopic imaging, surface tissue imaging, as well as brain neuron, otolaryngology, dental, blood vessels, and deep tissue imaging.

Photonics in OCT

In 2024, the FDA approved the first OCT device for at-home monitoring between office visits. This is a significant milestone in a wave of innovation to reduce the cost and size of such devices, allowing for broader, more frequent testing. Instrument companies are also working toward faster and higher accuracy OCT systems for clinical usage.

Hamamatsu leads in providing photonic components to the OCT market, and offers several product lines well suited to next-generation OCT devices:

MEMS mirrors
High speed CCD/CMOS linear image sensors for SD-OCT
InGaAs linear image sensors for SD-OCT (long wavelength)
Balanced detectors
Supercontinuum light source
Super luminescent diodes (SLD)

Beyond the blog: more on optical coherence tomography