For many years, the choroid was an elusive structure, the thin vascular layer between the sclera and the retina remaining largely unseen. But recent incremental advances in optical coherence tomography (OCT) are changing that, giving optometrists a fresh perspective on how the choroid is affected by disease and how changes in choroidal thickness (CT) may be indicative of future disease progression.

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom, Clinical Adviser for the College, says the choroid is a “fascinating structure” that is worthy of further research. “High-resolution imaging of the choroid may enable new ways of considering a number of pathologies, from angle closure glaucoma to central serous retinopathy [CSR]. With increasing numbers of optometrists having access to higher-resolution OCTs, the ability to measure CT has never been easier.”