Optical coherence tomography

What is optical coherence tomography (OCT)?

OCT is an imaging technology that assesses the thickness of the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer, macular thickness, and volume. It has been used to assess neurologic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, and more recently, schizophrenia.

What is the evidence for OCT?

Moderate quality evidence finds a medium-sized effect of thinner overall peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness in people with schizophrenia compared to controls. There were small effects of thinner nasal and temporal peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layers as well as thinner ganglion cell + inner plexiform layers in patients. There were no significant differences in superior or inferior retinal nerve fibre layers or in choroidal or macula thickness and volume.

February 2021

Last updated at: 1:50 am, 1st February 2021
To view documentation related to this topic download the files below
Fact Sheet Technical Commentary

NeuRA Libraries

Title Colour Legend:
Green - Topic summary is available.
Orange - Topic summary is being compiled.
Red - Topic summary has no current systematic review available.