Optical coherence tomography has become an indispensable diagnostic tool in ophthalmology for imaging the retina and the anterior segment of the eye. However, the imaging depth of optical coherence tomography is limited by light attenuation in tissues due to optical scattering and absorption. In this study of rabbit eye both ex vivo and in vivo, optical coherence tomography imaging depth of the anterior and posterior segments of the eye was extended by using optical clearing agents to reduce multiple scattering. The sclera, the iris, and the ciliary body were clearly visualized by direct application of glycerol at an incision on the conjunctiva, and the posterior boundary of sclera and even the deeper tissues were detected by submerging the posterior segment of eye in glycerol solution ex vivo or by retro-bulbar injection of glycerol in vivo. The ex vivo rabbit eyes recovered to their original state in 60 s after saline-wash treatment, and normal optical coherence tomography images of the posterior segment of the sample eyes proved the self-recovery of in vivo performance. Signal intensities of optical coherence tomography images obtained before and after glycerol treatment were compared to analysis of the effect of optical clearing. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study for imaging depth extension of optical coherence tomography in both the anterior and posterior segments of eye by using optical clearing agents.

Impact statement

Imaging depth of optical coherence tomography in ophthalmology is limited by light attenuation in tissues due to inherent optical scattering and absorption. In this study, imaging depth of the anterior and posterior segments of rabbit eyes was extended by using optical clearing agents to reduce multiple scattering. This study may provide a potential method for ophthalmic research, such as accommodation, ocular growth, and biometry of the eye, and for diagnosis of posterior scleritis and intra-orbital tumor, such as orbital cavernous hemangioma, optic nerve glioma, and inflammatory pseudotumor.

中文翻译：

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使用光学透明剂在兔眼中进行光学相干断层扫描的成像深度扩展。

光学相干断层扫描已成为眼科中不可或缺的诊断工具，用于对视网膜和眼前节进行成像。然而，光学相干断层扫描的成像深度受到组织中光散射和吸收引起的光衰减的限制。在这项对兔眼的离体和体内研究中，通过使用光学清除剂以减少多次散射，扩大了眼睛前段和后段的光学相干断层扫描成像深度。巩膜、虹膜和睫状体通过在结膜切口处直接涂抹甘油而清晰可见，通过将眼后段浸入离体甘油溶液中检测巩膜的后边界甚至更深的组织或通过球后注射甘油在体内。的离体兔眼恢复到它们的原始状态在60秒盐水洗涤处理后，样品的眼睛后段的正常光学相干断层扫描图像证明了的自我恢复体内表现。将甘油处理前后获得的光学相干断层扫描图像的信号强度与光学清除效果的分析进行比较。据我们所知，这是第一次使用光学透明剂在眼睛前段和后段进行光学相干断层扫描成像深度扩展的研究。

影响陈述

由于固有的光学散射和吸收，眼科中光学相干断层扫描的成像深度受到组织中光衰减的限制。在这项研究中，通过使用光学透明剂来减少多次散射，扩大了兔眼前段和后段的成像深度。该研究可能为眼科研究提供一种潜在的方法，例如眼睛的调节、眼部生长和生物测定，以及诊断后巩膜炎和眶内肿瘤，例如眼眶海绵状血管瘤、视神经胶质瘤和炎性假瘤。