Is Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) safe in a pediatric setting?
Yes. It has been used safely in children, especially in evaluating children with congenital glaucoma.
Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) uses near infrared light to help ophthalmologists visualize details of the retina and optic nerve. There is no ionizing radiation. It is non-invasive, requires no injections, and gives much better detail of the inner eye than ultrasound or MRI.
It is especially useful for evaluating the optic nerves of people who might have glaucoma, and for following the progression of glaucoma.
It is also excellent for detecting minute amounts of fluid in the macula, the most specialized fine focusing part of the retina, called "cystoid macular edema" which can be treated with drops and injections, and for detecting fine "epiretinal membranes" which are membranes growing across the retina, which distort vision and which can be treated with surgery.
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