OCT imaging moves beyond the macula at the 2025 EURETINA congress

Modern imaging technologies, like advanced forms of optical coherence tomography (OCT), are revolutionizing the retina space. During the 2025 meeting of the European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA), clinicians brought previously under-examined sections of the retina into the spotlight. One researcher who presented on peripheral use of OCT is Daniela Bacherini, MD, PhD, FEBO, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Università di Firenze, Florence, Italy. During the EURETINA meeting, she presented on the ways new OCT methods can enhance detection and management of lesions in the retina.

"As we know, the peripheral retina has had much less attention...largely due to intrinsic challenges of visualizing it," Prof. Bacherini said. "But many of the key pathologies originate from the peripheral retina." While the macula has been the primary focus of OCT imaging in the past, she continued, imaging is turning toward the periphery of the retina. "Thanks to ultrawidefield imaging, we have gained a lot of insight and details in the peripheral retina that are very important to understand many retinal pathologies," she said. "Peripheral retinal degenerations are common findings in the peripheral retina, and many of them can predispose to retinal detachment." While the current clinical approach is still based on clinical symptoms, Prof. Bacherini said, the application of ultrawidefield peripheral OCT can provide new details that assist clinicians in managing these lesions.

In many of these cases, better imaging leads to an earlier diagnosis and interbention. "We found that peripheral OCT, in some cases, can change our clinical approach and our decision making," she noted. For example, in some cases of peripheral retinal holes, OCT highlighted tractional findings that were not otherwise clinically visible. Prof. Bacherini and her colleagues decided to treat these patients, to prevent further tearing or damage to the outer retinal layers.

Watch the full video to hear more about Prof. Bacherini's approach to diagnosing and treating pathologies in the peripheral retinal.