Changes in the protein aggregation within the ocular lens may be responsible for both presbyopia and cataracts. Treatments for these conditions are under development, but are likely to be most effective when administered early in the disease. Therefore, a technique compatible with in vivo use which could detect early changes in aggregations is desired. Here, we assess if phase-decorrelation OCT may be sensitive to cold-induced protein aggregation in ex vivo porcine lenses. A major challenge of this approach is the relatively weak scattering signal obtained from the lens nucleus while the lens is in situ. We observed a substantial increase in decorrelation time as the cold cataract reversed. Backscatter intensity also decreased as the cold cataract reversed, as expected. However, compared to backscatter intensity, decorrelation is better correlated with cataract reversal.
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