In Vitro Retinal Imaging with Full Field Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography

Weakly scattering tree shrew retina has been imaged in vitro with full field swept source optical coherence tomography, visualising multiple intraretinal layers. The system utilises a 50nm bandwidth Superlum SLD, to acheive similar to 8 mu m of axial resolution and 4 mu m of transversal resolution. Volumetric images of retinal tissue with dimensions of 1248x936x678 mu m (horizontal by vertical by axial) were recorded in two second (equivalent of 153,600 A-scans per second) with a measured signal to noise ratio of 75dB. From the 5mW of SLD optical power available, 720 mu W illuminates the sample, giving a power per pixel of 4.6nW, ten times less power per pixel then standard FDOCT systems. After upgrading the camera and redesigning the optical beam path, 82dB of SNR was realised.