Dynamic OCT Signal Loss for Determining RPE Radiant Exposure Damage Thresholds in Microsecond Laser Microsurgery

Optical microsurgery of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) requires reliable real-time dosimetry to prevent unwanted overexposure neuroretina. The system used in this experiment implements optical coherence tomography (OCT) detect intentional elimination RPE cells. We evaluated performance OCT terms its ability cell damage caused by microsecond laser pulses varying duration. Therefore, ex-vivo porcine choroid sclera explants were embedded an artificial eye and exposed single 2–20 µs duration (wavelength: 532 nm, exposure area: 120 × µm2, intensity modulation factor: 1.3). Simultaneously, time-resolved M-scans recorded (central wavelength: 870 scan rate: 33 kHz). Post-irradiation, was quantified using a calcein-AM viability assay compared with OCT-dosimetry algorithm. results our experiments show that OCT-based analysis successfully predicts damage. At optimal operating point, algorithm achieved sensitivity 89% specificity 94% for 6 demonstrated precisely control radiant wide range pulse durations towards selective microsurgery.